If there's a show out there that's consensually loved and praised, that's the sitcom masterpiece Friends. A staple of the late '90s and early '00s, the popular TV series introduced us to some of the best characters and actors of a generation. And one of the best in the bunch, making us laugh alongside Joey, Rachel, Phoebe, and Ross was the one-and-only Chandler Bing.

But beneath Chandler's ever-sarcastic sense of humor was Matthew Perry, an actor who endured many things during his life. From his past as an ambitious upcoming actor to his post-Friends career, Perry's life was marked by the excesses of fame and by complicated addictions. But can the compelling story of a sitcom superstar who's gone astray have a happy ending? Today, let's look into what's going on with Perry's life at the moment and what he was forced to endure to get his life back on track and find real love.

An Ambitious Young Man

Before making a name for himself as the hilarious Chandler Bing, Matthew Perry was a struggling comedian who wanted to succeed in the show business world. The task wasn't easy; many try to become successful actors, and many fail along the way. But Perry was talented, and above all else, extremely ambitious.

The thing he wanted the most? To become famous. To take the credit, the applause, and the big bucks. As Perry himself has put it in a 2002 New York Times interview, he wanted "the best seat in the restaurant." But getting there was going to take a lot of hard work...

The Move To Los Angeles

Growing up, Perry learned a lot from his parents. His mother was a press secretary for the former Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, and his father was an actor who was also into modeling. But the young Perry spent the early days of his life in a place that couldn't be any more different from the sunny Hollywood hills: the cold city of Ottawa, Ontario.

It wasn't long before Perry decided to move to Los Angeles, though. He was only 15 when he enlisted in Sherman Oaks' The Buckley School and tried his luck as an actor. With a focus on comedy roles, a pre-Friends Perry experienced the ups and downs of life as a struggling small screen performer.

Playing Forgettable Roles

Before being introduced to the masses as Chandler Bing in 1994, Perry worked either as the main actor of unsuccessful shows or as a brief guest for some popular TV series, such as Beverly Hills, 90210.

Perry was happy to be working and learning the trade, but he didn't get the fame and money that usually comes with it. He was given important roles in the sitcoms Second Chance and Sydney, but both ran for only one season. Then, he got the call. He was supposed to do a reading for this exciting new sitcom called... Friends!

We've Found Our Chandler!

Here's a puzzling question: Do we know about the moment that can change our life forever while we're living it, or do we only realize it afterward? In Perry's case, it was probably a combination of the two. In a later interview, Perry said he knew he was perfect for the Chandler role the minute he first landed eyes on the script.

But could he predict Friends' out-of-this-world success? To be honest, we don't think anybody could have... Not even Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, who found Perry to be such a convincing Chandler.

Financial Difficulties Solved

Trying to be a big-shot actor in Los Angeles is incredibly draining. It's not only physically and emotionally exhaustive, but it can literally dry out your bank account. Perry knows all about this. Before getting his first big Friends paycheck, the Ottawa-raised actor was desperate for cash.

But after so many years of dedication and hardship, Perry was about to get everything he wanted in one single package. When Friends premiered, Perry and the rest of the cast became overnight sensations and bonafide TV legends. And the pay (over $22K per episode) was not so bad either!

Who Doesn't Love Chandler?

As Friends continued to impress more and more fans, the cast's salary grew exponentially in size. $22K per episode became $75K, and by the time seasons 9 and 10 premiered, the main cast was getting $1 million per episode, which is a mind-boggling amount even today!

But cash was just a small part of Perry's Hollywood dream. Known virtually everywhere, beloved by men and women alike, and praised by institutions like the Emmy Awards, it was fair to say Perry was genuinely sitting at the best seat in the resto.

The "Flame of Fame"

Perry has described his time on Friends as the "white-hot flame of fame." He and his sitcom buddies, which included Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, or David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc, were sitting at the top of the world, collecting the much-wanted results of their success.

But the thing about the flame of fame is that it can burn you when it gets too intense. And for a man who was living like the king of the world, Perry was in deep pain. Emotionally, he was miserable, struggling with a dangerous dependence on pills and alcohol. How did this even happen?

A Not So Perfect Life

Successful people often say that chasing your goals can make you happier than actually achieving them. To that, we tend to laugh. After all, who would prefer the life of a struggling actor over the life of a millionaire Hollywood A-lister? But making it big time does come with some issues of its own.

In 1997, Chandler wasn't so happy about his perfect life. There was a void in his heart, probably due to a lack of new challenges and career goals. And that same year, the aftermath of a troubling Jet Ski accident got him down a dangerous, dangerous path...

A Mixture Of Vicodin & Alcohol

Following the Jet Ski casualty, a doctor prescribed Vicodin (a powerful painkiller) to Perry, and the actor fell in love with the pills! He admitted later that he never felt so good in his life, and he kept going back to get more and more of them. Add that to his booze obsession that kept getting stronger and stronger, and you have a recipe for personal disaster.

But on the outside, Perry was still the man. He had millions of dollars to his name, a top of the list TV contract, and the type of fame that's reserved for the most popular actors of a generation. His façade was still a good one at the time...

All For Having Fun

Commonly described by his Friends co-stars as the funniest of the bunch, Perry loved to have fun himself as much as he loved to make others laugh. And when you're a Hollywood superstar, having fun does come with some awesome perks. One of such was the ladies.

Perry was hunky, young, funny, and famous. What more can a girl ask? In the late '90s, Perry was briefly involved with the award-winning actress Julia Roberts. He also dated the Baywatch stunner named Yasmine Bleeth for a couple of months in 1996 and hooked-up with his Three to Tango co-star Neve Campbell in 1998.

Three Oblivious Years

Dating so many stunning women and still not finding true love should be regretful enough for Perry. But that wasn't even the worst part. In a later interview, the man behind Chandler admitted that he could hardly recall about three years of his crazy Friends' life.

When you mix fame, wealth, booze, and pills, it's hardly surprising it can result in some memory lapses. Perry was going through such an emotional rollercoaster during the late '90s and early '00s; it was hard to tell if he was still king of the world or if he was hitting rock bottom. But soon enough, it became evident that something needed to change...

The Wake-up Calls

Perry's spiral of confusion and addictive tendencies eventually took its toll. In 1997, the hilarious actor checked into a rehabilitation facility for the first time, spending 28 days at a Minnesota institution. Yet, it wasn't enough. Three years later, his issues with liquor ended up in a life-threatening scare.

In 2000, Perry was admitted to a hospital due to a severe alcohol-induced case of pancreatitis. This medical condition is dangerous and potentially deadly, but Perry ignored it completely. He was so deeply conditioned by his own bad habits that he kept drinking even after checking out of the infirmary!

"Personal Struggle"

Naturally, Perry's serious issues didn't go unmissed on the set of his show. Once the life of the party, Perry was now a source of pain, concern, and sorrow. Friends producer Marta Kauffman and the show's main cast tried to help him get back to his former self and quit his self-destroying habits. Perry wasn't listening, though.

Matt LeBlanc, the actor behind Joey, admitted later that he tried to talk to Perry. However, he soon realized that this was a "personal struggle" only Perry himself could solve. Nonetheless, Friends' main cast was deeply hurt after seeing their beloved friend and co-star go down a miserable and potentially deadly path.

A True Professional... Kind Of

By 2001, Perry was a textbook alcoholic, but he was still a highly-functioning Hollywood professional. He never drank on set, hoping that by not drinking, his bad habits would go unnoticed. They didn't. Perry was losing weight worryingly, and he was often sleepy and shaky at work.

Still, he was a hard worker! In 2001, he traveled between cities, filming a new season of Friends in Los Angeles and the rom-com movie Serving Sara in Dallas. He drank heavily in between. Trying to get out of bed with a hangover is hard enough, but can you imagine what it must feel like to act and be funny while groggy?

This Life-Changing Call

Matt LeBlanc said that what Perry was experiencing is a "personal struggle," and he couldn't have been any more right. On February 23, 2001, Perry checked into his Dallas hotel room and realized something needed to change in his life. Maybe out of luck, wisdom, or sheer destiny, he made what's arguably the most important call of his life.

It's the call that has probably managed to keep him out of a precocious death. He dialed the number of his home phone back in Canada and asked his parents for help. It was then that Perry found the strength he needed to finally change for the better.

The End of The Road

Admittedly, not even Perry is sure of what happened that day. He simply said he "can't describe it." But when reflecting on it, Perry pointed out that his will to change wasn't necessarily motivated by wanting to change. He was simply trying to save his life.

Perry said he was afraid to "die the next day" and that he knew he had to do something just to continue staying alive. Considering Perry had checked out of the hospital not even a whole year before, we think he meant what he said. Luckily, he found the light at the end of the road and took control of his life once again.

A Brand New Man

Checking into rehab means nothing with no authentic motivation to change. But this time, in 2001, Perry had it. When he went back to the set of Friends, revitalized and ready to shoot the show's final season, his co-stars and producers couldn't be happier. Marta Kauffman recalled the moment by saying, "I hadn't realized how much he hadn't been there."

But going sober is not easy, not even when you genuinely want to change. It wasn't like Perry was entirely off the drugs and drinks that year. The great challenge is not to get sober but to stay sober. Was Perry going to be strong enough to pull that off?

Happy Without All The Substances

The second time around, Perry spent over two months in a rehab center after making that critical call to his mom and dad. He left everything on hold to focus on saving his life and getting rid of the issues that had troubled him for so long.

It was the birth of a new Matthew Perry. One that was learning that a happy life is possible, more so when you're off the drugs and alcohol. In a People magazine interview, Perry mentioned that he's glad things got so bad in the end because the misery of his situation gave him the strength he needed to turn his life around.

Fueled By Fame

Any substance dependence is never something you can instantly shake off. In Perry's case, all the bad habits were possibly highly fueled by his fame from Friends. When you're on top of the world, it can be tricky to evaluate yourself fairly. Issues can even easily be excused by how much you're making or how many interviews you're getting.

Keep in mind that Perry was also very young when he first landed the role of Chandler Bing and that Friends was a show of unprecedented popularity. But with the sitcom reaching its end, Perry was finally going to be able to make a priority out of his well-being.

An Ongoing Battle

To this day, Perry continues not to take his sobriety for granted. He checked himself into rehab as recently as 2011, determined never to lose control of his life again. In the meantime, he continued to search for love.

Perry dated 90210's Maeve Quinlan and reportedly had a fling with Scrubs star Heather Graham. He also enjoyed a brief but passionate relationship with the Gilmore Girls actress Lauren Graham. More recently, he hooked-up with the former fashion student Rachel Dunn and the actress Lizzy Caplan. Yet, none of these women proved to be 'the one' for Matthew Perry.

Determined to Give Back

After a decade of working in Friends, Perry decided that he finally had the time to help others in need. His ongoing struggle with addictive substances was a full-time job in itself. Still, Perry wanted to make the most out of his personal experience to help people who were in the same dreadful situation he once found himself in.

In 2013, Perry decided to open Perry House, a Malibu-based wellness institution that focuses on helping men who struggle with all kinds of dependence. In the meantime, he worked on refreshing new acting roles in movies such as Numb and Birds of America and the short-lived TV series Mr. Sunshine.

The Perry House

Sadly, The Perry House worked better as a way of helping alcoholics than as a proper business. Failing to meet the ever-increasing expenses, Perry was forced to sell the Malibu mansion where he helped recovering addicts from 2013 to 2015.

The Perry House was acquired for an impressive $10.5 million when Perry realized it would never work as a long-term business project. But this mishap didn't prevent him from continuing to help alcoholics. In 2015, he said he wanted to relocate the project to a smaller facility, promising to "keep the business going."

A Special Type of Accolade

A brilliant actor behind one of TV's most popular characters of all-time, Perry is no stranger to praises, awards, and honorary mentions. But the award he was given in 2015 is perhaps the one he cherishes the most.

Perry received the 2015 Phoenix Rising Award at the 12th Annual Triumph for Teens Awards Gala of Beverly Hills for his positive contribution to the improvement of the local community. Perry's former Friends co-star Lisa Kudrow showed up to show her support. And could this award have a better name? Just like a rebirthed phoenix, Perry had been able to rise from the ashes and help many others do the same.

Letting It All Out

In 2016, Perry fought his demons through creative work. He let all of them out by making his theater debut with a play he wrote in a ten-day burst of inspiration. It was called The End of Longing and told the all-too-familiar story of "drunk Jack" (played by Perry) and three other characters searching for the meaning of life.

The West End production was met with some unexciting reviews, and the dark comedy play never really made any headlines. But it undoubtedly allowed Perry to speak his truth and to continue focusing on staying sober.

A Sitcom Pro

Perry's play may not have got the attention he hoped for, but it wasn't long before the Friends superstar was back at doing what he does best. In 2015, he co-created and starred in the TV series The Odd Couple, featuring two friends (Perry and Thomas Lennon) who were forced to live together after being kicked out of the house by their wives.

The Odd Couple ran for three seasons, and even though it wasn't a major success, it was still a funny and convincing sitcom. But while Perry was sharing an apartment with his on-screen partner Lennon, something was going on with his off-screen love life.

Meeting Molly

After dating so many celebrities over the years, Perry decided to get cozy with Molly Hurwitz, a beautiful but very private literary manager. The two have a 22-year age gap and were first seen together in 2018. Sober and with a new attitude towards life, was Perry finally ready to commit to a woman?

Many hoped so, including Perry's former co-star Courteney Cox, who's been looking out for her friend, reportedly wanting him to settle down for years. After all, Perry and Cox (Chandler and Monica) did make for one of the cutest on-screen couples of the last 20 years! But was Molly really the one?

Trouble Along the Line

Captured by a paparazzi in the street, Perry and Molly seemed to make for a perfect couple. He looked kind of rough, as you'd expect, but she seemed to have genuine feelings for him. Yet, their relationship has reportedly been through a rough patch between 2018 and 2019.

Perry and Molly broke up for a while, and the reasons for the split were never revealed, probably because it didn't take long before the two found their way back to each other. It seemed like the lovebirds couldn't be apart from one another, and they ended up spending the 2019 Christmas together. That's a big step forward in any relationship!

Is This The (Happy) End of An Era?

From the minute he first became famous, Perry has been a proud Hollywood bachelor. Sure, he dated his fair share of beautiful women in the past, but things never got too serious. But this time, it looked like the man behind Chandler had finally met the one.

In 2020, Perry was excited to let his fans know that he was finally getting married. He opened the game by saying, "I decided to get engaged," and completed by saying he was dating "the greatest woman on the face of the planet." Needless to say, Perry was finally caught up by Cupid's spell, although it took him nearly 50 years into his life to experience real love.

Overcoming Addiction Together

Over the years, Perry has been a reputable loner who fought hard to overcome the bad habits that almost took complete control of his life. His loving family and co-stars supported him, but it's different from having someone like Molly by his side.

The couple's relationship is very private, mostly due to Molly's discreet attitude and minimal social media presence (her Instagram profile is still private). Maybe that's what Perry needs? After so many years of being a star, it's always nice to have someone by your side to remind you of what real life is like and what's really important in life!

The Future Looks Brighter Than Ever

Perry and Molly have announced that they have plans of getting married in 2021, which promises to be a very busy year for the two. Not only do they have a wedding ceremony to think about, but they'll also be looking forward to a special Friends reunion scheduled for March 2021.

That's right, Friends fans! Perry himself delivered the good news on his official Twitter profile, confirming that a long-awaited Friends reunion will be taking place in 2021. Could life get any better for a sober, engaged, and back to the top Matthew Perry?

They Want To Do It Right

At this point, there's only one thing that can stand in the way of the long-awaited Friends reunion, and that's... Coronavirus! According to Marta Kauffman, they want the special to feel natural and unconstrained, and they want to make sure they film in front of a real live audience, just like they used to.

This may be tricky, considering the situation the entire world finds itself in at the moment. But if there's something the Friends cast and staff is good at, that's overcoming problems. So, even if we have to wait a little bit longer than March 2021, which is likely, Perry will be getting that much-wanted Friends comeback!

The Fight Continues

Writing a happy story about Matthew Perry would never be possible 10 to 15 years ago. But today, the fans of the sitcom superstar can finally relax, as the more-mature future husband seems to have finally found a way out of the many problems that tormented him in the past.

But even today, when the future looks so bright for Perry, it's essential to remember that the fight against addiction is an ongoing one. Temptation comes back repeatedly, making staying sober a daily struggle. We hope Perry stays on the right track and lives happily by Molly's side for a long time. All the best to you, Chandler!