For millions of people, Matthew Perry will always be Chandler Bing.
Netflix wants to tell the story of the person behind him.
A new three part documentary series titled The One About Matthew Perry is coming to Netflix on October 27, almost three years after the actor died at 54.
And yes, the title is deliberately written like an episode of Friends.
But the documentary is not simply another Friends nostalgia project.
The series looks at Perry’s life outside the sitcom that made him globally famous, using previously unreleased family photos and videos alongside interviews with people who knew him personally.
His sister Mia Perry Bowick participates in the documentary, alongside longtime friends and creative collaborators.
The series will explore Perry’s rise to fame, his career and the private struggles that existed behind one of television’s funniest characters.
Perry had spoken openly about his experiences with addiction and recovery during his lifetime, particularly in his memoir.
That part of his story became increasingly important to him. He wanted his legacy to include more than making people laugh.
The documentary arrives more than two decades after Friends ended, but Chandler remains one of the most recognisable sitcom characters ever created.
That makes separating the character from the person complicated.
And that seems to be exactly what the documentary wants to explore.
Matthew Perry gave millions of people a comfort character.
Now Netflix wants audiences to meet the man behind him.
