Matthew Perry’s tragic death will be investigated in a new documentary.
Peacock is set to release an upcoming investigative documentary, Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, People reported on Tuesday.
The film will delve into the Friends star’s last days and the investigation into his drug-fueled death at just 54.
The documentary’s trailer opens with what appears to be a radio recording from when first responders arrived at the scene of Perry’s death.
The actor had been found unresponsive in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home on October 28, 2023.
He was later determined to have died due to the effects of a large ketamine dose, which the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner determined had likely affected his heart and slowed his breathing.
Matthew Perry ‘s tragic death will be investigated in a new documentary. Peacock is set to release an upcoming investigative documentary, Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy, People reported on Tuesday; pictured in 2012 in LA
The film will delve into the Friends star’s last days and the investigation into his drug-fueled death at just 54; pictured with (L–R) Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow
Drowning from slumping into the hot tub was considered a contributing factor, as were the effects of coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid addiction, something Perry had struggled with for decades.
Perry had been taking ketamine, which can be used for treatment-resistant depression.
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However, he had been receiving daily transfusions of the drug, and the medical examiner determined that he had taken a large amount shortly before his death, as it could not have been left over from his last infusion because the half-life of the drug is only three to four hours.
The documentary includes aerial footage of Perry’s home shortly after his body was discovered, and a tent can be seen erected over the hot tub.
‘This could not be true. How could this be true?’ says one shocked woman in a talking-head interview.
The trailer then jumps back to red carpet footage of Perry from his time on Friends, in which he starred as Chandler Bing, as well as a brief fan interview raving about his charms to show just how popular he was at the height of his career.
Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler’s mother on Friends, gushed that Perry ‘really touched people’s lives.’
But interview subjects say that Perry was ‘preyed on’ while ‘vulnerable’ in subsequent interviews, as the music turns to a minor key.
The documentary includes aerial footage of Perry’s home shortly after his body was discovered, and a tent can be seen erected over the hot tub
‘This could not be true. How could this be true?’ says one shocked woman in a talking-head interview
The trailer then jumps back to red carpet footage of Perry from his time on Friends, in which he starred as Chandler Bing, as well as a brief fan interview raving about his charms to show just how popular he was at the height of his career
Martin Estrada, US Attorney for the Central District of California, notes that three people charged in connection with Perry’s overdose death have since pleaded guilty and assisted prosecutors, while two more are awaiting trial
Among those who have pleaded guilty are Perry’s former assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who allegedly delivered the fatal dose to Perry
The trailer ends on a sweeter note, highlighting Matthews connections to his Friends costars. ‘Matthew Perry is the funniest person in the whole world,’ Courteney Cox says at the 1996 Screen Actors Guild Awards with him and Lisa Kudrow
Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy will be available to stream on Peacock beginning on Tuesday, February 25
‘His life was overtaking by addictions,’ one interview subject says as another woman notes that celebrity desires will always be ‘catered to,’ even when they’re unethical or illegal.
One interview subject notes that everyone around Perry thought he was ‘doing so well’ and that he had gotten ‘clean and sober.’
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Martin Estrada, US Attorney for the Central District of California, was also featured in the documentary while his office carried on the investigation into the actor’s death.
He noted that three people charged in connection with Perry’s overdose death have since pleaded guilty and assisted prosecutors, while two more are awaiting trial.
Among those who have pleaded guilty are Perry’s former assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, who allegedly delivered the fatal dose to Perry.
TV director Erik Fleming also pleaded guilty, as did doctor Mark Chavez, who sold the ketamine for Perry. He also had his medical license suspended.
‘The allegations show a trained doctor is injecting Mr. Perry in parking lots,’ Estrada said, underscoring how it should have been obvious that everything about Perry’s treatment was inappropriate. ‘We used to blame [the] victim. We don’t do that anymore.’
The trailer ends on a sweeter note, highlighting Matthews connections to his Friends costars.
‘Matthew Perry is the funniest person in the whole world,’ Courteney Cox says at the 1996 Screen Actors Guild Awards, while Lisa Kudrow nods in agreement before Matthew steps forward to the microphone.
Matthew Perry: A Hollywood Tragedy will be available to stream on Peacock beginning on Tuesday, February 25.