Netflix's Three-Part Matthew Perry Documentary Debuts With Friends Memories
Netflix's three-part documentary about actor Matthew Perry, "The One About Matthew Perry," debuted on October 27. The series is directed by Mary Robertson, an Emmy winner.
Netflix describes the series as an intimate look at Perry's Hollywood success, his outspoken advocacy and his death. It is the first in-depth documentary about him. The company says it draws on testimony from people who knew him best, and it promises a portrait of the man behind the famous sitcom role: generous and funny. Netflix released a trailer in late September and a sneak peek video on October 24.
The documentary covers his life, his career, his struggles with addiction and his death. Some of the most striking details concern "Friends," the sitcom that made him famous. Producer Roger Costillo said that production shut down for a while in 2001, when Perry entered rehab, according to Variety.
Perry's sister, Mia Perry Bowick, also spoke about the 2023 funeral. She recalled that the show's five co-stars, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc, arrived together. She said they walked up to the casket holding hands and stood around it crying. Aniston was the first of the cast to reach her, giving her a long hug, she said. The service was very small, limited to close friends and family, and the casket was open to the family for a short time.
For many viewers, the series will be the first long look at Perry outside the sitcom. It arrives in the same week that the Friends cast's own memories of him have reached a wide audience through Variety's report. Netflix has set the three episodes to stream all at once, so viewers can watch the full story in one sitting or spread it over several nights.
The subject is a painful one. Perry died in 2023, and many of the people in the film are still grieving him. Anyone who has struggled with addiction, or who has lost someone to it, may find parts of the documentary hard to watch. Support is available through local health services and helplines for anyone who needs it.
