Matthew Perry's comments on how he wants to be remembered go viral after his death

30 October 2023, 13:00

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By Katie Louise Smith

"I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker. And [my] paramount thing is that [I] want to help people..."

Following Matthew Perry's tragic death, fans have been sharing a poignant and beautiful message he shared last year while promoting his book, explaining how he hoped to be remembered.

Matthew, best known for playing Chandler Bing in Friends, died at the age of 54 at his Los Angeles home on Saturday (28 October).

Matthew's family released a statement to People, saying: "Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love."

Friends co-stars and guest stars Maggie Wheeler, Morgan Fairchild, Paget Brewster, Selma Blair and more have also shared their memories and condolences.

Now, Matthew's moving comments from one of his recent interviews about his memoir 'Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,' have gone viral.

Back in 2022, while promoting his memoir, Matthew was a guest on the “Q with Tom Power” podcast. He opened up about his career, his journey to sobriety, his story with addiction and what he hoped his legacy would be.

"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. That's the best thing."

"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", he continued. "I want that to be the first thing that's mentioned, and I'm going to live the rest of my life proving that."

At the end of the interview, when asked how he would like to be remembered, Matthew replied: "I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker. And [my] paramount thing is that [I] want to help people..."

Over the years, Matthew had been incredibly candid and vocal about addiction and sobriety. In a bid to help others who were going through similar experiences, he turned his former Malibu home into a sober living facility called the Perry House.

Our thoughts are with Matthew's family and friends.