Matthew Perry’s tragic death last year has cast a somber shadow over the upcoming 30th anniversary of Friends. Yet, series creator Marta Kauffman is encouraging fans to honour the late actor’s legacy in a meaningful way.
In a recent interview with The Times, Kauffman reflected on how best to remember Perry, whose lifelong addiction struggles combined with the “betrayal” of his inner circle led to his untimely death on October 28, 2023, at the age of 54.
“Two things come to mind [about how to celebrate him]: one of them is to donate to drug treatment centres – let’s fight the disease,” the Emmy-winning television writer and producer shared.
She continued, “And the second way is to watch Friends and remember him not as a man who died like that but as a man who was hilariously funny and brought joy to everybody.”
Perry’s death, which was ruled as accidental drowning due to the “acute effects of ketamine,” sent shockwaves through the industry.
An investigation was immediately launched, leading to the recent arrest of five individuals in connection to Perry’s death. This included his personal live-in assistant of two decades, Kenneth Iwamasa, who admitted to injecting Perry with ketamine on the day he died. Iwamasa frequently obtained the Ketamine from “Ketamine Queen” Jasveen Sangha, who was also arrested.
Two doctors were also charged for plotting to scam Perry with overpriced ketamine, reportedly having sold him 20 vials of ketamine for a staggering $55,000 in cash, per The New York Times.
The Mirror reported that the investigation has sparked “widespread panic” amongst Hollywood A-listers, who were also “catered” by Sangha and “could easily all be collateral damage.”