Matthew Perry’s final public appearance was in Paris this past summer for French Open … as he said he’d like ‘to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well’ and ‘was a seeker’ who sought ‘to help people’

• Actor was found dead at 54 in hot tub of his LA home on Saturday 
• His last public outing came at tennis tournament this past summer 
• In November of 2022, Perry spoke publicly about his legacy and how he’d like to be remembered when he died
• He said that the ‘paramount thing’ he’d want to be remembered for was for his passion for helping others 

Matthew Perry’s last public outing came this past summer in Paris, just less than five months before his death at the age of 54 on Saturday.

The Friends actor, who was found dead in a hot tub in his Los Angeles home, was pictured June 9 at the Stade Roland Garros to watch the French Open.

The Williamstown, Massachusetts-born actor, who was an ardent fan of the sport, appeared to be having a good time as he took in a semifinal in the tournament alongside a friend.

Less than a year before his unexpected death, Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the NBC smash hit, spoke publicly about his legacy and how he’d like to be remembered when he died.

‘I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker,’ Perry said in a November 2022 appearance on the podcast Q with Tom Power at Toronto’s Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema.

Details: Matthew Perry’s last public outing came this past summer in Paris, just less than five months before his death at the age of 54 on Saturday

The Friends actor, who was found dead in a hot tub in his Los Angeles home, was pictured June 9 at the Stade Roland Garros to watch the French Open 

Perry said that the ‘paramount thing’ he would want to be remembered for ‘is that he wants to help people.

‘That’s what I want … when I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned.’

Perry said on the podcast, on which he promoted his book Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir, that he wanted helping others ‘to be the first thing that’s mentioned’ in the wake of his passing.

Perry, who had battled substance abuse throughout his life, said that he was keen to help others who were dealing with a similar situation.

‘The best thing about me, bar none, is that if an alcoholic or drug addict comes up to me and says, “Will you help me?”‘ he said. ‘I can say yes and follow up and do it.

‘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.’

On the podcast, Perry said that it was difficult for him to watch past episodes of Friends, as he could chart his addiction battle by his appearance on the program.

‘I didn’t watch the show, and haven’t watched the show, because I could go drinking … opiates … drinking … cocaine,’ he said. ‘Like I could tell season by season by how I looked.’

Less than a year before his unexpected death, Perry spoke publicly about his legacy and how he’d like to be remembered when he died 

He said in a November 2022 interview, ‘I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker’

Perry said that the ‘paramount thing’ he would want to be remembered for ‘is that he wants to help people’

Perry called the program – which co-starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer – ‘an incredible ride.’

He added: ‘It’s been an incredible thing to watch it touch the hearts of different generations. It’s become this important, significant thing and I, you know, I would watch that again. It was really funny, and all the people were nice.’

Perry appeared on the hit series for 10 seasons spanning 1994 until 2004. He had also appeared in a number of motion pictures in his career, including 1997’s Fools Rush In, 2000’s The Whole Nine Yards and 2009’s 17 Again.

Perry told People in October of 2022 that he felt some of his greatest attributes were ‘caring about others, for never giving up’ and ‘helping people as much as I do.’

Said the actor, ‘That’s probably my favorite thing about myself. Being creative, seeing, learning that if you’re uncomfortable or feeling anxiety, one of the ways to get out of that situation is to be creative.’

On Saturday, TMZ reported that first responders had been summoned to Perry’s home to deal with a cardiac arrest. Foul play was not suspected in the actor’s death, sources told the outlet.

Perry appeared on the hit series Friends for 10 seasons, spanning 1994 until 2004 

Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, and the show’s executive producer Kevin Bright, released a statement that read, ‘We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment – not just to his work, but in life as well.

‘He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.’

Warner Bros. released a statement following Perry’s death, saying, ‘We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family.

‘The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.’

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