Netflix has announced The One About Matthew Perry, a three-part docuseries exploring the life and career of Friends star Matthew Perry (The Whole Nine Yards, The Odd Couple, 17 Again). According to The Hollywood Reporter, the series will feature interviews with people close to Perry while examining his successful acting career and personal struggles.
The docuseries is directed by Mary Robertson (Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, The Fall of Diddy, The Real Wolf of Wall Street), whose production company Maxine Productions is producing the project. The company is part of Sony Pictures Television.
Perry became internationally known for portraying Chandler Bing on the hit television sitcom Friends, which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. Perry starred alongside Jennifer Aniston (Cake, We’re the Millers, Just Go With It), Courteney Cox (Scream, Shining Vale, Cougar Town), Lisa Kudrow (The Comeback, The Opposite of Sex, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion), Matt LeBlanc (Lost in Space, Joey, Episodes) and David Schwimmer (Big Nothing, Band of Brothers, Six Days Seven Nights). The series will trace his career through accounts from family members, longtime friends and creative collaborators while also exploring his private struggles and openness about addiction.
Perry’s sister Mia Perry Bowick will be among those interviewed. Bowick said it took time for her to feel ready to share memories of her brother. She also mentioned that she hopes the series will give viewers a deeper understanding of who Perry was beyond his public image and his role as Chandler Bing.
Robertson said Perry was one of the leading comedic talents of his generation but noted that the public only knew part of his story. The series aims to explore the person behind the actor while also highlighting the impact of his willingness to speak publicly about addiction.
Perry died at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54. His death was attributed to the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning, coronary artery disease and the effects of buprenorphine listed as contributing factors.
Five people were charged in connection with supplying Perry with ketamine, and all ultimately pleaded guilty to federal drug charges. Perry’s live-in assistant Kenneth Iwamasa admitted to repeatedly injecting him with ketamine without medical training and was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison. Jasveen Sangha, who supplied the ketamine that ultimately reached Perry, was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Former physician Salvador Plasencia was sentenced to 30 months in prison after pleading guilty to distributing ketamine to Perry. Erik Fleming, who distributed ketamine obtained from Sangha, received a two-year prison sentence, while former physician Mark Chavez received three years of probation and eight months of home detention for supplying ketamine to Plasencia.
Robertson executive produces The One About Matthew Perry alongside Lisa Kalikow (Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, A Radical Life, Murder in Big Horn), Eli Holzman (Undercover Boss, We’re Here, Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath) and Aaron Saidman (Selena + Chef, We’re Here, Active Shooter: American Under Fire). Lora Moftah (The Weekly, The Fall of Diddy, She’s the Ticket) serves as co-executive producer, while Jessica Call (The Real Wolf of Wall Street, Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, Girls Gone Wild: The Untold Story) produces. Bowick participates in the documentary but is not involved on the production side.
A premiere date for The One About Matthew Perry has not yet been announced.