Matthew Perry spent a lot of his grownup life being recognized world wide with out essentially being understood. For 10 years on “Pals,” he performed Chandler Bing, turning sarcasm and self-deprecating humor into one among tv’s most recognizable comedian performances. Now, “The One About Matthew Perry” is ready to revisit the actor’s life past the character, utilizing non-public household footage and firsthand accounts from the individuals who knew him away from the highlight.
The three-part Netflix documentary sequence premieres October 27, 2026, someday earlier than the third anniversary of Perry’s dying. He died on October 28, 2023, at 54, together with his dying attributed to the consequences of ketamine and unintentional drowning. Within the documentary’s trailer, Perry may be heard reflecting on his difficult relationship with fame, saying, “I mentioned God, you are able to do something you need to me, simply please make me well-known.” After changing into well-known, he provides, “God didn’t neglect the opposite half.”
A Completely different Look At Matthew Perry
“The One About Matthew Perry” arrives after a number of documentaries and initiatives tried to look at the actor’s dying and struggles with habit. A few of these releases have been criticized for specializing in the circumstances surrounding his passing with out providing sufficient perception into the particular person behind the headlines.
Netflix’s new sequence takes a special method. A lot of its materials comes from Perry’s household archive, together with unreleased pictures and movies, whereas his sister, Mia Perry Bowick, supplies one of many documentary’s most private views.
The objective is to maneuver past two acquainted variations of Perry: the beloved sitcom star and the actor whose life was marked by habit. As an alternative, the sequence makes an attempt to current the completely different sides of his life collectively, together with his relationships, profession, humor, restoration and advocacy.
Three Episodes, Three Sides Of His Story
The documentary is split into three episodes titled “The One About Love,“ “The One About Laughter” and “The One A few Buddy.“ The titles intentionally echo the naming conference used all through “Pals,” whereas giving the acquainted format a extra private goal.
Director Mary Robertson, an Emmy Award winner, mentioned the sequence was created to discover the particular person audiences didn’t absolutely know.
“Via his many movies, TV and stage performances and his unforgettable portrayal of Chandler Bing, he made tens of millions of us giggle, join and really feel rather less alone,” Robertson mentioned. She added that Perry “additionally gave us a lot extra by bravely talking about habit,” whereas noting that the general public solely knew a part of his story.
The episodes look past “Pals,” tracing Perry’s early tv profession and the audition that helped launch his path to sitcom stardom. Former NBC Leisure president Warren Littlefield and Season 1 author Jeff Strauss are amongst those that recount that interval.
His movie and stage work, later tv initiatives and experiences in restoration are additionally examined. The sequence additionally revisits the size of his battle with habit, together with the estimated $9 million he mentioned he spent on therapy over three a long time in his 2022 memoir, “Pals,” “Lovers,” and “The Huge Horrible Factor.”
The Folks Behind The Documentary
Matthew Perry’s sister and pals keep in mind the beneficiant, humorous and bigger than life man who rose to world superstardom — and share how the actor’s honesty grew to become his biggest legacy.
The One About Matthew Perry, an intimate documentary sequence, premieres October 27. pic.twitter.com/WkQeiF8S3y
— Netflix (@netflix) September 29, 2026
Mia Perry Bowick performs a very vital position in “The One About Matthew Perry,” providing reminiscences of her brother that transcend his public picture.
She defined that she wanted time earlier than feeling able to share what it was like to like Perry by means of the completely different phases of his life. Her perspective facilities on seeing him “as a complete particular person,” moderately than merely as Chandler Bing or somebody who struggled with habit.
The documentary additionally options Perry’s shut pals David Pressman and Roger Castillo, former girlfriends {and professional} collaborators from completely different durations of his profession.
That mixture of testimony and personal archive materials provides the sequence entry to elements of Perry’s life that have been largely absent from his public profession. The unreleased pictures and movies are anticipated to point out the actor in additional intimate settings, away from the roles and public appearances that outlined a lot of his life.
Perry’s Legacy Past Pals
Whereas his profession made him a worldwide tv star, “The One About Matthew Perry” additionally focuses on the work he pursued throughout restoration.
Perry based Perry Home in 2013, remodeling his Malibu house right into a sober residing facility for males. He additionally grew to become an outspoken advocate for habit therapy, testified earlier than Congress about drug therapy coverage and developed a one-man stage present based mostly on his experiences.
His 2022 memoir additional documented the realities of his habit and restoration, promoting greater than one million copies in its first week. These efforts grew to become an vital a part of how Perry needed to make use of his public platform.
The documentary due to this fact arrives as greater than one other examination of his dying. By bringing collectively his household’s non-public archive with testimony from individuals who knew him personally, “The One About Matthew Perry” is positioned as an try to look at the actor’s life in full, from his rise to worldwide fame and his years as Chandler Bing to his struggles, relationships, restoration and efforts to assist others.
Produced by Maxine Productions, a part of Sony Photos Tv, and directed by Mary Robertson, “The One About Matthew Perry” premieres globally on Netflix on October 27, 2026.
Featured picture: Renaschild/Deposit Pictures