EXCLUSIVE: Matthew Perry's Eye-Watering Sobriety Battle Bill Revealed
EXCLUSIVE: Matthew Perry's Eye-Watering Sobriety Battle Bill Revealed
Aaron Tinney Sat, October 10, 2026 at 7:12 PM UTC
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Matthew Perry spent millions attempting to get sober.MEGAMatthew Perry spent a staggering near-$10million trying to overcome the addiction that plagued much of his life, RadarOnline. com can reveal.
Matthew Perry spent a staggering near-$10million trying to overcome the addiction that plagued much of his life, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Perry, who died aged 54 in October 2023, poured the extraordinary sum into his decades-long battle for sobriety, according to his sister Mia Perry Bowick.
Matthew Perry Spent Millions Seeking Sobriety
Perry spent $7million in his determined fight to get sober.MEGA
She makes the revelation in The One About Matthew Perry, a three-part Netflix documentary examining the Friends star's rise to global fame, private struggles, and legacy, which will premiere on October 27.
Bowick says in the show: "My brother would talk about that feeling of emptiness or loneliness that he couldn't quite fill. He spent $7million trying to get sober. That's how seriously he took his disease."
The figure provides a stark new indication of the lengths Perry went to while attempting to overcome his dependence on drugs and alcohol.
Perry had previously detailed his addiction in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, revealing that his problems with substances began during his teenage years and intensified after fame arrived.
'When He Made People Laugh, It Made Him Feel Good'
Making people laugh provided the Perry with emotional release.MEGA
His role as Chandler Bing in Friends, which ran for 10 seasons between 1994 and 2004, made him one of television's biggest stars. But Bowick said performing also provided her brother with an emotional outlet during his struggles.
She added in a teaser for the show: "When he made people laugh, it made him feel good."
Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Pacific Palisades home on October 28, 2023.
The Los Angeles County medical examiner subsequently ruled that he died from the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine listed as contributing factors.
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His death was ruled accidental.
Ketamine Treatment Came Under Scrutiny
Medical examiners ruled Perry's tragic death was purely accidental.MEGA
The medical examiner said the level of ketamine detected in his blood was comparable to that used for general anesthesia.
Perry had been receiving ketamine infusion therapy, but his last known treatment was about a week and a half earlier – too long beforehand to account for the ketamine found in his system.
Netflix's documentary will now examine the person behind Chandler through testimony from Bowick, lifelong friends and Perry's creative collaborators, alongside previously unseen photographs and videos from his family's private archive.
Family Shares Rare Look at Hollywood Star
Mia Perry Bowick gave an emotional look at her brother's private life.@miaperrybowick/Instagram
Bowick said: "It's taken time for me to feel ready to share these memories and what it was like to love Matthew through all the complexity of his life – to see him as a whole person, not just as Chandler, and not just as someone who struggled with addiction.
"As his sister, he shaped who I am today, the person I strive to be, and the work to which I've devoted my life. Matthew had a beautiful heart and a generous spirit, and even in his darkest moments, he could still make you laugh and feel loved."
She added, "I hope this series gives everyone who loved him, whether personally or from afar, a deeper appreciation for who he truly was, and the legacy he leaves behind."
Director Mary Robertson described Perry as "one of the comedic geniuses of our time," saying the public had known only part of his story.
Robertson noted: "That's why we set out to make this series – to let the people who knew and loved Matthew reveal the person behind the public figure."
Friends became one of television's defining sitcoms, turning its six leads into global stars. Its finale attracted more than 52 million US viewers.
Decades later, the show remains a streaming favorite, introducing Chandler, Rachel, Ross, Monica, Joey, and Phoebe to new generations, with Perry going on to carve out a successful Hollywood career in movies after the sitcom ended.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
