Here's How Matthew Perry Wanted to Be Remembered, In His Own Words

Matthew Perry strived to always be there for you.

While the Friends star—whose sudden death at the age of 54 rocked Hollywood—recognized that his role as the beloved Chandler Bing would be celebrated greatly after his passing, Perry wanted a more personal part of his legacy to be highlighted.

As the actor—who detailed his decades-long battle with addiction in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing—explained, he was proud to share that his current dream centered on helping other people overcome their personal struggles.

"The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, ‘I can't stop drinking, can you help me?' I can say yes and follow up and do it," he shared during a Q with Tom Power interview in November 2022. "It's the best thing."

As Perry noted, "And I've said this for a long time; when I die, I don't want Friends to be the first thing that's mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that's mentioned, and I'm going to live the rest of my life proving that."

In fact, it's his personal character that he hopes the world thinks of above the rest.

"I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker," he shared. "And his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. That's what I want."

The Whole Ten Yards star echoed the same sentiment about sharing his journey in his memoir, which marked 18 months of sobriety for Perry at the time of publication.

"There's been some real up and downs in my life," he told E! News weeks after the memoir's release last November, "and this is a lot about the downs, but the further down you go, the more people you can help."
 
Perry died in an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28, his rep and a law enforcement source confirmed to NBC News. Further details on his cause of death have been deferred, authorities confirmed to the outlet the following day, pending the results of a toxicology report.
 
Keep reading to look back at Perry's outstanding life in pictures.

The Boys Will Be Boys star poses for a photo while at the Limelight in New York City.

The Sydney actor takes a break while on the set of the CBS series in Los Angeles, California.

The Friends star sits by the well-known fountain that serves as the backdrop for the show's opening sequence.

The Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing author attends the Scream premiere in Los Angeles.

Perry poses while on the set of Friends as his beloved character Chandler Bing.

The 17 Again star attends the Los Angeles premiere of The Grinch.

The actor hits the red carpet for the premiere of The Whole Ten Yards.

The Mr. Sunshine star attends the Entertainment Weekly and Matrix Men upfront party.

 The Odd Couple actor hangs out backstage at an event in celebration of the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards.

Perry poses for a photo while at the play The End Of Longing.

The American-Canadian actor was front and center at The Circle premiere in New York City.

Perry attends the 2022 GQ Men of the Year party.

Six months prior to his passing, the Almost Heroes star discussed his memoir while on stage at the 2023 Los Angeles Times Festival.