Matthew Perry Said How He’d Like to Be Remembered Once He Passed Away

Matthew Perry didn’t want the hit show Friends to be the first thing people talked about after they found out he had died. He made that clear in a 2022 interview, where he also mentioned exactly how he’d like others to think of him once he passed.

In 2022, Matthew Perry promoted his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, with a series of interviews. In November of the same year, he was interviewed live in front of an audience by Tom Power. During their talk, the actor opened up about how he’d like to remembered when he died.

“I’d like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker,” Perry said. “And his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. That’s what I want.”

Not only that, Perry emphasized how he didn’t want his role as beloved Chandler Bing in Friends to be all that people talked about. “When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that’s mentioned,” he explained, referring to his work helping people get sober. “And I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”

When asked what song came to mind as the main theme to his life’s story, he named the song Don’t Give Up by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush.

The actor was discovered unresponsive in his Los Angeles home’s jacuzzi on October 28, and Los Angeles fire officials declared him dead upon arrival. A preliminary investigation by the robbery homicide division did not reveal any apparent signs of trauma, and his official cause of death is pending the coroner’s investigation.

The actor was 54-years-old and leaves a legacy behind filled with successful movies, TV shows and, above all, his philanthropy work.

When those who are part of the entertainment world pass away, particularly if they worked with cinema or TV, they are often honored with a special dedication. In fact, many iconic movies were dedicated to someone as a way to keep their memory alive.