His mother, Suzanne Perry Morrison, was a press secretary for Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau; Perry also attended elementary school with Trudeau's son, future prime minister Justin Trudeau
Before moving to L
A
, was a top-ranked junior tennis player in Canada
Appeared in '80s sitcoms Charles in Charge, Silver Spoons and Growing Pains before finding stardom with Friends
Costarred with his father, actor John Bennett Perry, in the 1997 movie Fools Rush In and in a 2004 episode of Scrubs that Matthew also directed
In 2003, was featured 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
Awards
2007Golden Globe-Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television:nominated
2007Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie:nominated
2006Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries:nominated
2004Emmy-Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series:nominated
2003Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:nominated
2002Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:nominated
2002Emmy-Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series:nominated
2001Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:nominated
2000Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:nominated
1999Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:nominated
1998Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:nominated
1995Screen Actors Guild Awards-Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series:winner