Matthew Perry was eager to make a television comeback before his untimely death, according to a close friend.
The actor, best known for playing Chandler Bing in the hit US sitcom, sadly passed away after an apparent drowning at his LA home on October 28th, aged 54.
TMZ previously reported that although first responders didn’t find any illicit drugs at the scene, they found numerous prescription drugs.
Matthew’s longtime barber and friend, Pierre Johnson, has since spoken to The US Sun about his plans to return to acting.
“He had plans to really get back into movie-making again. He said that to me directly, and he’d love to have been back on television,” Pierre said.
“I asked him if he was going to retire and he said no, he would just evolve.”
Pierre worked with the comedy star from 2018 to 2022, and opened up to the publication about Matthew’s plans to find love and his will for a more active lifestyle, with the hope of quitting smoking.
“He had a home gym inside of his place in the Palisades, and I knew he’d taken up pickleball again.”
“He wanted to be with someone. But it was so hard to find anybody that he could trust,” Pierre told the publication.
“He wanted a woman who was genuinely kind to him, didn’t want him for his money, and wouldn’t sue him.”
Despite the actor not making his TV comeback, his longtime friend said that Matthew appeared happier in his final few years.
“His story was changing lives, and I was so glad to see that he was on the other side of it,” Pierre said. “To hear that he overcame, that’s what everyone wants. He was ticking them off.”
In his book, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir, Matthew talked openly about his battle with addiction, and how he wanted to help those also suffering.
Speaking during the book tour for his memoir, Matthew revealed he wanted to be remembered as someone who “lived well”.
The Friends actor told his fans: “I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker and his paramount thing is that he wants to help people.”
“That’s what I want.”
In his memoir, the actor wrote: “The best thing about me is that if an alcoholic or drug addict comes up to me and says, ‘Will you help me?’ I will always say, ‘Yes, I know how to do that. I will do that for you, even if I can always do that for myself’.”
“And I’m glad of that, happy I’ve done some solid work as an actor.”
“But when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if Friends were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people.”
“I know it won’t happen but it would be nice.”
