The Journey of Matthew Perry: How he landed his iconic role on Friends
Matthew Perry's career skyrocketed when he landed the iconic role on Friends His casting can be deemed nothing short of extraordinary, elevating him to superstar status
Matthew Perry's casting in the role that catapulted him to stardom could be described as a stroke of divine intervention. In his memoir published in 2022, Perry revealed that just three weeks prior to his audition for the iconic character of Chandler Bing in the immensely popular NBC sitcom "Friends," he found himself in his modest Los Angeles dwelling, engrossed in an article about actor Charlie Sheen in the local newspaper.
In "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," Perry recalled that Sheen was once again facing trouble, but he couldn't understand why it mattered to him, given his fame. Suddenly, he found himself dropping to his knees, shutting his eyes tightly, and uttering a prayer, a first time experience for him. Perry's prayer was straightforward - he humbly beseeched, "God, you have the power to shape my destiny. Please grant me fame."
"Three weeks later, I was offered a role in the television series Friends. And without a doubt, it appeared that God had fulfilled his end of the agreement. However, being the Almighty, he had not overlooked the initial portion of that prayer either," he penned.
Matthew Perry is best known for his role as Chandler Bing on "Friends."
NBC/Getty Images
Born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Perry was raised by an actor father and a journalist mother. His passion for acting blossomed when he relocated to Los Angeles as a teenager in 1985.
Michael Ochs Archives/Moviepix/Getty Images
Perry and Christina Applegate were cast in the 1988 made for TV teen movie "Dance 'til Dawn."
NBC/Getty Images
Actress Martha Plimpton and Perry are seen at the Limelight nightclub in New York City circa 1988.
Michael Ochs Archives/Moviepix/Getty Images
Perry guest stars in an episode of "Growing Pains" in 1989. His character was injured in the episode, which was about the dangers of drunk driving.
ABC/Disney Entertainment/Getty Images
Perry co-starred in "Friends" with Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox and Jennifer Aniston. The first season aired in 1994.
NBC/Getty Images
Perry is seen in the 1995 "Friends" episode "The One with the Evil Orthodontist."
NBC/Getty Images
The cast of "Friends" drink milkshakes in an iconic promo photo.
NBC/Getty Images
Perry and Cox appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in 1996.
NBC/Getty Images
Perry co-stars with Salma Hayek in the 1997 romantic comedy film "Fools Rush In."
Columbia Pictures/Getty Images
The cast of "Friends" pose for a promo shot in 1999.
Getty Images
The sixth season of "Friends" aired in 1999.
NBC/Getty Images
Perry and Cox are seen in the 2000 "Friends" episode "The One With Rachel's Assistant."
NBC/Getty Images
Michael Clarke Duncan tackles Perry in a scene from the 2000 film "The Whole Nine Yards."
Warner Brothers/Getty Images
Perry and Cox pose for a photo during the 2001 "Friends" episode "The One With Monica And Chandler's Wedding."
Danny Feld/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Perry portrayed Joe Quincy on "The West Wing" in 2003, seen here alongside Amy Stewart, Richard Schiff and Milo O'Shea.
Cinematic/Alamy Stock Photo
Perry and British actress Kelly Reilly perform a scene from the West End play "Sexual Perversity in Chicago" at The Comedy Theatre in London in 2003.
Toby Melville/Reuters
In 2003, Perry participated in the Merv Griffin Beverly Hills Country Club Celebrity Tennis Classic. Throughout his childhood, he dedicated himself to tennis, ultimately excelling as a highly ranked player in Canada. Following his parents' separation, he resided with his mother in Canada.
Jean-Paul Aussenard/WireImage/Getty Images
Perry prepares to make a statement as fellow "Friends" cast memberLeBlanc hands over the award they won for favorite television comedy series at the 2004 People's Choice Awards.
Mark J. Terrill/AP
In a 2004 episode of "Scrubs," Perry took on the role of director for the first time. In this snapshot, he can be seen engaged in a conversation with director of photography John Inwood, all while actors Zach Braff (on the left) and John C. McGinley observe.
Mitch Haddad/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty Images
Perry co-stars with Amanda Peet and Bruce Willis in the 2004 sequel "The Whole Ten Yards."
Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
Perry participates in a Screen Actors Guild rally in solidarity with the striking Writers Guild of America in Los Angeles in 2007.
Chris Pizzello/Reuters
Perry speaks onstage at the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2012. He was nominated four times for the prestigious TV acting award.
Phil McCarten/Invision/AP
Perry throws out the ceremonial first pitch at a Los Angeles Dodgers game in 2012.
Mark J. Terrill/AP
In 2013, Perry appeared before a House Subcommittee at the Capitol, advocating for the funding of drug courts. He openly shared his personal battle with addiction, serving as an ambassador for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.
Image: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc./Getty Images
Perry and Lindsay Sloane are seen behind the scenes on a 2014 episode of the CBS series "The Odd Couple."
Michael Yarish/CBS/Getty Images
Perry plays Ted Kennedy in the 2017 TV series "The Kennedys After Camelot."
Intuition Film Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock
The cast of "Friends" appeared on "The Late Late Show with James Corden" in 2021.
Terence Patrick/CBS/Getty Images
Copies of Perry's memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," are displayed at a bookstore in 2022.
Julia Weeks/AP
Perry enters the stage for a conversation with editor Matt Brennan during the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books in Los Angeles in 2023.
Dania Maxwell/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images
Matthew Perry's life in pictures
Prev
Next
Perry almost didnt get the chance to play Chandler on "Friends."
It was 1994 and Perry said he was scrambling for work after his"terrible" manager told him he had "no money."
Perry mentioned during a 2015 interview on "Late Night With Seth Meyers" that he contacted his agent and expressed the urgency of finding any available job. Coincidentally, this occurred during the shooting of the TV series "Friends," but Perry was unable to join the cast as he had already committed to a pilot called "LAX 2194," which revolved around baggage handlers at L.A. Airport in the distant future. However, another opportunity presented itself when he was offered a role in a script for a show previously titled "Friends Like Us."
Perry described the experience as "hilarious and wonderful." He mentioned a specific part that was perfect for him, but unfortunately, he couldn't audition for it due to the baggage handlers' show. This situation drove him crazy, causing him to lose his mind.
Luckily, Perry shared that the TV executives who watched "LAX 2194" found it terrible. This circumstance allowed him to focus on pursuing the role of Chandler, which ultimately catapulted him to fame.
Perry frequently expressed how the show had a transformative impact on his life and forged an everlasting connection with fellow cast members Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer. When he and his co-stars reunited for the HBO Max special "Friends: The Reunion" in May 2021, Perry became visibly emotional while discussing the incredible experience. (It is worth noting that HBO Max is owned by CNN's parent company.)
Cox became emotional as Perry shared.
He mentioned that you apologized to the individuals accompanying you, clarifying that they needed to comprehend that you had encountered someone who holds significance in your life and you intended to engage in conversation with that individual throughout the entire evening. "And that's how it played out," he concluded.
