Why did the FRIENDS cast not appear on Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy? Explained
Following the tragic death of Matthew Perry, a new documentary, titled Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, has been made to explore and celebrate the actor's life and also look into the unfortunate accident that led to his untimely death. The documentary premiered on Peacock on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
Fans who have watched the documentary would have noticed that Perry’s Friends co-stars—David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc—have not been featured on it.
Speaking to the New York Post on February 24, director and executive producer Robert Palumbo said that the stars were reluctant to feature in a documentary at this point in time when the impact of Perry's death is still "fresh" and his passing is still a sensitive matter.
All about Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, and why Perry's FRIENDS co-stars did not appear in it
Talking about why Perry's co-stars on the popular sitcom did not appear in Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, Palumbo said:
"Understandably, they were reluctant to go on a documentary about Matthew at this point. Maybe many years down the line… We understand their decision not to appear."
He also added:
“Many of us remember getting that news that he had died, and then eventually getting the details [that gave] sort of waves of anger… I feel like people still have him in their hearts and minds. As the facts began to come out about what happened to him, how he died, and what possibly could have been a ring of people that... facilitated his death, I was really upset.”
Meanwhile, Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy did feature one of Perry's co-stars from the hit NBC show. The documentary includes an interview with Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler’s mother in the sitcom.
Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy explores in detail the events in the aftermath of Perry's death, including five arrests that were made in his death probe, as well as the actor's struggles with substance abuse which he had always been open about. The program also examines the legal case and the pending trial for all defendants.
Some of the accused in the case of his death are still awaiting trial, such as Dr. Salvador Plasencia and Jasveen Sangha, popularly known as the “Ketamine Queen.” Both of them have pleaded not guilty, and US District Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett has set their joint trial for March 4, 2025.
Meanwhile, Kenneth Iwamasa, who used to be Perry's assistant, pleaded guilty on August 7, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine which caused the actor's death.
More about Matthew Perry and what happened to him
Matthew Perry died at age 54 at his Pacific Palisades home in California on October 28, 2023. His autopsy report stated that his death was due to “acute effects of ketamine,” and he had died from accidental drowning while under its influence. Talking about Perry, Palumbo shared:
“He was someone who wanted to be remembered, not so much for his time on ‘Friends’ but for how he has been able to help other people with addiction issues. I think that that’s still the case to this day, even after his death."
Perry had gained international stardom for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom Friends. He also received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in The West Wing and The Ron Clark Story.
Apart from Friends, he starred in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007), Fools Rush In (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Three to Tango (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), and 17 Again (2009).
Watch Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, now streaming on the Peacock.
