9 Biggest Revelations in ‘The One About Matthew Perry’

The following post contains discussions of alcoholism and addiction.

Nearly three years after the tragic death of Matthew Perry, Netflix has released a three-part docuseries detailing his life and sudden death, featuring interviews with his lifelong friends — no, not those friends — along with his sister and some of the companions and colleagues he made along the road of his storied time in the spotlight.

Titled The One About Matthew Perry, a nod to the styling of Friends episode names, the series sheds more light on the dark side of fame and fortune for the international superstar. Even for those who followed his meteoric career rise in real time, heard him open up in interviews and speeches about his very difficult journey with addiction and alcoholism, and even read his acclaimed memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir, there’s still a lot to learn from the series.

Here are the biggest takeaways from The One About Matthew Perry.

He had an unusual playlist

According to his longtime friends Roger Castillo and David Pressman, who were there in Perry’s earliest pre-fame days in Hollywood, the actor had some very bizarre song choices. They remembered he started out with a small red convertible car and would blast music from Enya and John Tesh while driving with the top down on Sunset Blvd. Another friend, Timothy Harrington, said Perry would listen to Train’s “Drops of Jupiter” on repeat all the time, while another friend, Evelyn Sallinger, said he was obsessed with the slow version of “I Took a Pill in Ibiza.” Then, his sister later added that his favorite song of all time was the Muppets’ “Rainbow Connection.”

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He had a scary experience that nearly changed everything

Another vintage pal of Perry’s that contributed to the docuseries was Marjorie Harris Newman, whom he openly had a crush on. She remembered that one night, she finally decided to go home with him after a few drinks, and the two got into a terrible accident that gave him a major wake-up call. Unfortunately, though, the lesson wouldn’t stick.

His paparazzi moment with Julia Roberts was completely staged

After he became famous from Friends, Perry’s longtime friends were still stunned by some of the celebrity encounters they would have in his company. One such was the moment when then-girlfriend Julia Roberts dropped by to bring them pizzas. Since the paparazzi were outside, the two stepped out and staged a kiss and hug for the cameras.

His first brush with addiction came as a result of a Fools Rush In on-set accident

Doug Draizin, whose real-life story of an unexpected pregnancy and quick-fire wedding inspired Fools Rush In, revealed in the docuseries that while filming a boat scene in Lake Meade, Perry borrowed someone’s jet ski during a lunch break and was injured when he flung himself off of it. Then, he was prescribed medication and reported feeling a sense of euphoria. By the time Draizin saw Perry again at the film’s premiere some months later, he could tell his health was suffering, but he just didn’t know why yet.

He got a wild introduction to Hollywood life by Bruce Willis

After Bruce Willis recruited Perry to star in The Whole Nine Yards with him, the actor treated him to a very wild nightlife of partying at “Club Willis,” his own personal club with hired strippers and all-night entertainment. Costar Kevin Pollak, who was also Perry’s pal, remembered he and Willis would order drinks so stiff they called them “fives.” All the while, the film’s director, Jonathan Lynn, credited Perry with suggesting some of the script changes that earned the most laughs from audiences.

He had to pause production on a movie to get help

According to Perry’s sister, Mia Perry Bowick, the actor’s struggles with addiction became so severe during production on a film called Serving Sara that he had to pause production to seek treatment, with his father, John Bennett Perry, rushing to his side to escort him to a treatment center.

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He once cheated on a girlfriend with another woman, who became her best friend

The docuseries also features commentary from Rome, a woman who dated Perry for more than two years after meeting in rehab. After a series of extended absences, Perry later confessed to her that he’d been seeing another woman, Laura, for the last year. After Perry and Laura broke up, she reached out to Rome, and the two became friends. Perry later reached out to Rome with an offer of renewed friendship after he had his near-fatal experience with a ruptured colon.

His sister thought he was getting better and was truly stunned when he died

In the docuseries, Mia revealed that she’d seen signs of drastic emotional and physical improvement from Perry after he began taking prescribed ketamine treatments for depression, following his three-month hospitalization for a ruptured colon. However, what she didn’t know was that his live-in assistant, whom Mia trusted and knew for 30 years, was aware that he was taking additional doses of ketamine with the help of doctors, who’ve since been convicted of crimes related to his death. Mia found out that her brother died in his home while she was away on a business trip.

All of the Friends gathered around his casket to grieve in unison

Perry’s funeral services drew massive media attention, but the ceremony itself was a private one. Mia recalled that when the stars of Friends showed up to the service, they came in together and held hands around Perry’s casket while they cried.

The One About Matthew Perry, Now Streaming, Netflix

If you or someone you know has addiction issues, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration‘s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.