From Season 3 To 6 On Friends The Lights Were On But Nobody Was Home For Matthew Perry
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Matthew Perry was a crucial component to the success of Friends for ten seasons. However, for Perry, things didn't seem to be that way behind the scenes, as the actor struggled with addiction issues. The situation was ultimately salvaged and nowadays, Perry is viewed as a hero trying to help others out going through the same struggles. We'll take a look back at how tough things got for Perry and how seasons three to six of Friends ended up as a total blur for the actor.
Matthew Perry's Co-Stars On Friends Knew He Was Struggling Behind The Scenes
Although he was among the funniest men in sitcom television during the '90s, things weren't exactly the same for Matthew Perry off-camera. He was enjoying major success and everything he ever dreamed of, however, things were spiraling in his life away from the camera.
Perry tuned to both alcohol and later Vicodin following a ski-accident in 1997.
Those around Perry knew he wasn't doing well, but according to the likes of Matt LeBlanc, Perry was not receptive to getting help.
“I tried to talk to him,” Friends costar LeBlanc, who played Joey Tribbiani, told People. “There wasn’t a response. It’s such a personal struggle; they need to bottom out on their own.”
Lisa Kudrow would also agree, it was not easy to see a co-star in such rough shape. “Hard doesn't even begin to describe it. When Matthew was sick, it was not fun. We were just hopelessly standing on the sidelines. We were hurting a lot. Matthew is one of the funniest people I've ever met in my life. He's charming and hilarious. Most of our hard laughs came from Matthew.''
More importantly, Perry himself knew that if a change wasn't going to be made, his life might've been at risk.
Matthew Perry Was Facing A Huge Addiction Battle Between Season 3 And 6 On Friends
One thing Matthew Perry did not do, was bringing his problems on the set of Friends. This means there was no drinking or anything of the sorts, “I had this odd rule that I would never drink on a set,” Perry told the New York Times.
“I went to work in extreme cases of hangovers. It's so horrible to feel that way and have to work and be funny on top of that.”
Perry was open about his struggles, claiming that seasons 3 to 6 were complete blurs. “I âdon't remember three years of it. I was a little out of it at the time — somewhere between seasons three and six.”
With all the help he was getting, Perry knew the decision to get cleaned up ultimately needed to be his own, and not a nudge from anyone else. “I wasn’t ready to hear it,” he admitted. “You can’t tell anyone to get sober. It has to come from you.”
And finally, that's exactly what happened.
Matthew Perry Finally Decided On A Rehab Stint During The Later Years On Friends
Finally, Perry decided to head back to LA and get sober alongside his parents. The major turning point, the fear of death.
“I didn't get sober because I felt like it,” he told the New York Times. “I got sober because I was worried I was going to die the next day.”
“It was scary. I didn’t want to die,” he said. “But I’m grateful for how bad it got. It only made me more adamant about trying to get better.”
Perry admitted the journey was not an easy one, especially given his status in the spotlight at the time. The actor was also aware that it was not a problem that be solved in a matter of days either.
“I'm a pretty private person, but I was on a TV show that 30 million people were watching, so people knew. It was so public what was happening to me,” he told the Hollywood Reporter. “You can't have a drug problem for 30 years and expect to solve it in 28 days.”
Thankfully, the actor is in a much better place these days.
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