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<p>F<em>riends</em> might never have become such a beloved, universally quotable sitcom without Matthew Perry&rsquo;s witty, sarcastic and lovably insecure Chandler Bing.&nbsp;The actor, who died at his home on Oct. 28 at age 54, felt born to inhabit the role. &ldquo;It wasn&rsquo;t that I though I could <em>play</em> Chandler. I <em>was</em> Chandler,&rdquo; he confessed in his 2022 memoir, <em>Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing</em>. <em>&ldquo;</em>It was as if someone had followed me around for a year, stealing my jokes, copying my mannerisms, photocopying my world-weary yet witty view of life,&rdquo; he wrote.</p>
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<p>Raised in Ottawa, Canada, Matthew excelled at tennis but carried feelings of abandonment after his parents&rsquo; divorce. He moved to LA as a teenager and ditched his tennis racket to be an actor. For years, Matthew bumped around in little-seen films and failed TV pilots, burning to become famous. &ldquo;I needed it,&rdquo; he wrote. &ldquo;It was the only thing that would fix me. I was certain of it.&rdquo; He landed the role on&nbsp;<em>Friends</em> at 24.</p>
<p><strong>A HIGHER CALLING </strong></p>
<p>In his memoir, Matthew talked about his years on the show and how he dated &mdash; and dumped! &mdash; actress Julia Roberts. But success and $1 million an episode did not&nbsp;bring the peace he desired. Over many years, he struggled with alcohol and prescription pills, took 15 trips to rehab and had several very close brushes with death.</p>
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<p>Last year, Matthew shared his story because he finally felt comfortable in sobriety and hoped his difficult journey would inspire others. &ldquo;I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker,&rdquo; Matthew said. &ldquo;And his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. That&rsquo;s what I want.&rdquo;</p>
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MATTHEW PERRY (1969-2023) Farewell to a FRIEND

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