Matthew Perry, the man behind television’s most loved and cherished fictional sitcom character Chandler Bing, sadly passed away at the age of 54 after giving us years of laughter. With his sarcastic sense of humor, quick wit, and endearing awkwardness as Chandler, Perry made us all laugh on our saddest days.
Perry’s portrayal of Chandler in Friends transformed him from a mere character into a cultural phenomenon, shaping how an entire generation viewed love, friendship, and the highs and lows of life. His name became a byword for charm, wit, and humor that enthralled audiences of all ages. Though this loss feels personal to all of us who watched him as one of our own, Perry has left a legacy that will live forever in a million hearts.
Matthew Perry’s early life and career
Born on August 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, Matthew Perry belonged to an affluent family. His mother served as press secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, and his father, John Bennett Perry, who is an American actor, former model, and of course, the famed “Old Spice guy.” His early education was at the Rockcliffe Park Public School, the same place the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau studied.
Perry’s first acting credit came in the ABC drama series 240-Robert episode “Bank Job” in 1979 when he was merely 10 years old. However, his first big breakthrough came after he graduated from the Buckley School in Sherman Oaks in 1987 and nabbed the role of Chazz Russell in the Fox sitcom Second Chance.
Soon, Second Chance became Boys Will Be Boys, and Perry appeared as Chazz in 21 episodes from 1987 to 1988 as a series regular. This paved the way for his big-screen debut in 1988 with the film A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, where he played the role of Fred Roberts, the upper-class best friend of the film’s lead Jimmy Reardon. Popularity soon followed Perry and he was then cast in various television series including Growing Pains (1989), Sydney (1990), and Home Free (1993).
Matthew Perry’s breakthrough with Friends
Perry appeared in a number of television series and films before finally landing his most celebrated role on the NBC sitcom Friends in 1994, which was originally titled Six of One. At this time, Perry was the youngest member of the main cast at age 24. The show quickly gained popularity and the cast became icons, an embodiment of our raw emotions.
This also marked a hike in Perry’s riches as by 2002, Perry and the six-member main cast made $1 million per episode. Though his salary for Friends was already high enough, Perry also pursued other opportunities and appeared in various films like Fools Rush In (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Three to Tango (1999), and The Whole Nine Yards (2000) while simultaneously appearing in Friends. He also made appearances in other television shows during this time, most notably Ally McBeal (2002) and The West Wing (2003).
What was Matthew Perry’s salary for Friends?
Friends officially ended after running for a decade in 2004, but Perry’s popularity did not die. He was cast in multiple television shows and films, with his last credited appearance being the HBO Max special Friends: The Reunion in 2021. Unsurprisingly, most of Matthew Perry’s wealth came from his decade-long role as Chandler Bing. Here is how much Perry earned per season for Friends (via Celebrity Net Worth):
- Season 1: $540,000 ($22,500/episode)
- Season 2: $960,000 ($40,000/episode)
- Season 3: $1.875 million ($75,000/episode)
- Season 4: $2.04 million ($85,000/episode)
- Season 5: $2.5 million ($100,000/episode)
- Season 6: $3.125 million ($125,000/episode)
- Season 7: $18 million ($750,000/episode)
- Season 8: $18 million ($750,000/episode)
- Season 9: $24 million ($ 1 million/episode)
- Season 10: $18 million ($ 1 million/episode)
All told, Friends‘ primary cast members took home a combined base pay of around $90 million, not including ongoing royalties and backend bonuses. The sitcom continues to bring in over $1 billion annually from streaming agreements and syndication royalties. According to Celebrity Net Worth, each cast member reportedly still receives $10–20 million in royalties for Friends annually.
Matthew Perry’s net worth at the time of his death
Having spent almost 4 glorious decades in the spotlight, Matthew Perry was worth around $120 million at the time of his death in October 2023 (via Celebrity Net Worth). While most of his multi-million dollar legacy is owed to his acting career, Perry also earned a few million through real estate. Perry also released a memoir in October 2022 titled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which swiftly shot to the top of the sales lists on Amazon and The New York Times.
In comparison to his fellow cast members, Matthew Perry falls behind Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), Courteney Cox (Monica), and Jennifer Anniston (Rachel), who boast incredible net worths of $130 million, $150 million, and $320 million, respectively. David Schwimmer (Ross) stands equal to Perry with $120 million and Matt LeBlanc (Joey) lurks right behind them with an $85 million net worth as of August 2023.