On Saturday, Mathew Perry aka Chandler Bing was found dead at his home residence in Los Angeles. Taking way back, the actor shared his experiences of dealing with major anxiety issues while filming Friends.
Mathew Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing on the hit show Friends, passed away at the age of 54 on Saturday (October 28). According to a report by TMZ, Perry was found in a jacuzzi at the home, and no drugs were found at the scene. His unfortunate demise has sent shockwaves through his fan base and global film community.
The actor did indeed open up about his battle with drugs and alcoholism, but there was also a time when he was suffering from anxiety while shooting for Friends. The 54-year-old actor expressed feeling a near-death experience, “every single night”
Matthew Perry Dies at 54; Unveiling The Actor’s Hidden Struggle With Anxiety:
During the Friends reunion special episode, that was aired on 27 May, 2021, the actor opened up to his former co-stars Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox for the first time about the intense anxiety he experienced filming in front of a live studio audience.
He said, “To me, I felt like I was gonna die if they didn’t laugh,” he revealed to the five other stars on the Central Perk set. “And it’s not healthy for sure, but I would sometimes say a line and they wouldn’t laugh and I would sweat and just go into convulsions if I didn’t get the laugh I was supposed to get. I would freak out.”
Perry was 24 when he landed the role of Chandler and consistently delighted the audience with his iconic one-liners. However, behind the scenes, things were not as smooth as they appeared. His revelation left the rest of the cast in shock with Kudrow saying: “You didn’t tell us that. I don’t remember you ever saying that.” Perry replied, “Oh yeah, I felt like that every single night.”
Matthew Perry’s life was a series of ups and downs, including a serious brush with substance abuse. The actor has listed a number of shocking facets of his life in his memoir: Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.