Born in the U.S. but raised in Canada, this handsome actor began appearing on TV as a teen and had already survived a number of short-lived series when he shot to stardom on the seminal sitcom
Friends. During the show's 10-year run, Perry perfected his signature shtick—a combination of sarcasm and slapstick—and earned three Emmy nods for his work. He also launched a big-screen career, starring in a string of unfunny comedies (
Serving Sara,
Almost Heroes,
Fools Rush In) and one amusing blockbuster,
The Whole Nine Yards, which spawned a laughless sequel. Off screen, Perry was linked to a bevy of lovely ladies (Yasmine Bleeth, Julia Roberts) and publicly battled drug addiction and questions about his fluctuating frame. After
Friends ended in 2004, he was back cracking wise as a cheeky late-night sketch-show writer in
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. But the series only lasted one season—bad luck that seems to be happening a lot for Perry and nearly all of his
Friends costars, who have yet to find box-office or small-screen gold.
Matthew Perry Fast Facts:
- His mother, Suzanne Perry Morrison, was a press secretary for Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau.
- Before moving to L.A., he was a top-ranked junior tennis player in Canada.
- Appeared on the '80s sitcoms Charles in Charge, Silver Spoons and Growing Pains before finding stardom on Friends.
- His father, character actor John Bennett Perry, played his onscreen dad in the 1997 movie Fools Rush In and in a 2004 episode of Scrubs, which was directed by Matthew.
- In 2003, he costarred with Hank Azaria and Minnie Driver in a London stage production of David Mamet's Sexual Perversity in Chicago.
- Portrayed inspirational educator Ron Clark in the 2006 TV-movie The Ron Clark Story and is a board member of the Ron Clark Academy, an alternative Atlanta middle school for low-income children.
- Matthew Perry Relationships:
- Caitlin Morrison - Half Sister
- Marie Perry - Half Sister
- Julia Roberts - Ex-significant Other
- Keith Morrison - Stepfather
- Willy Morrison - Half Brother
- Madeleine Morrison - Half Sister
- Suzanne Perry Morrison - Mother
- Debbie Perry - Stepmother
- Yasmine Bleeth - Ex-significant Other
- Emily Morrison - Half Sister
- John Bennett Perry - Father
- Elizabeth Hurley - Ex-significant Other
- Matthew Perry Awards:
- 2007 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie - Nominee
- 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries - Nominee
- 2003 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2007 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television - Nominee
- 2002 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2001 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2000 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1999 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1998 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 1995 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Winner
- 2003 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series - Nominee
- 2004 Emmy: Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series - Nominee
- 2002 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series - Nominee