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Matthew Perry, who died at age 54 over the weekend, previously shared how he hoped he would be remembered for his lifetime accomplishments.
A year before his death, the Friends megastar and beloved TV and film actor was promoting his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, during an interview with Q with Tom Power podcast when he was asked about his legacy.
“I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker. And his paramount thing is that he wants to help people. That’s what I want,” Perry told host Tom Power.
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“The best thing about me, bar none, is that 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.”
He added, “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, and I’m going to live the rest of my life proving that.”
At another point in their sitdown chat, Perry was brought to tears when recalling how people have helped him through his disease through the years, particularly as he battled substance abuse, including the decade of superstardom as he starred on the iconic series.
“It’s not fair. It’s not. That I had to go through this disease while the other five didn’t. They got everything that I got. But I had to fight this thing. And still have to fight this thing,” he said. “So just to end this on a good note, there are people who will help you. And get their help. It doesn’t go away. It never goes away.”
Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing on the hit NBC sitcom, died Saturday in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times. On Sunday, the coroner’s office updated its case online, saying that the cause of death had been “deferred,” with the examiner needing more time and additional investigation into the death.
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