Nearly three years after Matthew Perry‘s tragic death, the people who knew him away from the cameras are preparing to share a more personal side of his story. Netflix announced on Tuesday, September 1, that a three-part documentary series, “The One About Matthew Perry,” will premiere globally on Tuesday, October 27.
The project will feature Perry’s family, lifelong friends, and never-before-seen video footage from his family’s private archives. Matthew, who was 54 when he died on October 28, 2023, became one of television’s most recognizable comedy stars during his decade-long run as Chandler Bing on “Friends.”
Matthew Perry’s Sister Joins the Netflix Documentary
Netflix says the series will include never-before-heard testimony from Mia Perry Bowick, Matthew’s younger sister, along with stories from his closest friends and creative collaborators.
The documentary will also feature family photos and videos never previously released publicly. It will trace Matthew’s path from a rising comedian to worldwide fame while examining the personal struggles he later spoke openly about.
Emmy-winning director Mary Robertson, whose credits include “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV,” said the series is intended to show viewers more than the public figure they already knew.
“Matthew Perry was one of the comedic geniuses of our time,” Robertson said in Netflix’s announcement.
“Through his many films, TV and stage performances, and his unforgettable portrayal of Chandler Bing, he made millions of us laugh, connect, and feel a little less alone.”
Netflix Will Look Beyond Chandler Bing
GettyRobertson said Matthew’s willingness to speak publicly about addiction will also be central to the documentary.
“He also gave us so much more by bravely speaking about addiction. Yet the public only knew part of his story. That’s why we set out to make this series: to let the people who knew and loved Matthew reveal the person behind the public figure,” she said.
Matthew chronicled years of addiction and recovery in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.”
GettyHe died from the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine listed as contributing factors, as per ABC News.
Matthew Perry’s Mom Recently Marked His Birthday
The Netflix announcement comes less than two weeks after Matthew’s mother, Suzanne Morrison, marked what would have been his 57th birthday.
Matthew Perry House shared her message on Wednesday, August 19, alongside an old photograph of Suzanne feeding Matthew as a baby.
“August 19. It’s his birthday. Matthew was born 57 years ago today, a day that I feel as keenly as if [it] all happened this very morning,” she wrote, according to People. “Along with all the days he struggled, and the days he hid his addiction from the world, and even from me.”
She also remembered her son’s determination to help others facing addiction. “And I hear him saying over and over in those last days of his life, ‘I just want to help people like me, stuck in the disease of addiction,’” she wrote. “He can’t anymore. But we can. And with your help, we will.”
Matthew Perry’s Family Continues His Mission
Following Matthew’s passing, his family and friends established Matthew Perry House in Canada to support people navigating addiction and recovery.
The organization continues a mission Matthew repeatedly said mattered deeply to him.
“The One About Matthew Perry” will arrive on Netflix on Tuesday, October 27, one day before the third anniversary of his passing.
For his family, the series offers a chance to introduce audiences to the man they knew beyond Chandler Bing, while preserving the advocacy Matthew hoped would remain part of his legacy.
