People wonder if Matthew Perry was autistic, had Down syndrome, or had Parkinson’s disease as his character, Chandler Bing, frequently struggled to speak on Friends. However, it was his distinctive speech pattern for his character rather than any kind of real disease. Matthew never had any of the mentioned medical conditions.
Matthew Perry is no longer with us. The Chandler Bing actor was found dead at his home’s hot tub on Saturday. He was 54 years old. However, his exact cause of death has not been revealed yet.
Matthew won the hearts of millions with his character on Friends which aired for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. Even though it has been almost 2 decades since the sitcom last aired, Friends has been successful in becoming an ever-green sitcom as the show connects with people in so many ways.
If you have watched Friends, you might have noticed that Chandler Bing struggles to communicate frequently, especially when he is nervous, excited, or in a rush. As a result, many people have forever been curious to know if Matthew was autistic or had Down syndrome. Well, let’s find it out.
Previously, we touched on facts about Matthew Perry’s scars and gay rumors.
Was Matthew Perry Autistic? Did He Have Down Syndrome?
As mentioned above, Matthew Perry‘s Chandler Bing hesitates to speak in many scenes of Friends, especially when he is in a rush. However, it was not because Matthew was autistic or had Down syndrome. It was just for the character. Perry developed a distinctive speech pattern for his role.
Matthew Perry was neither Autistic nor had Down syndrome.
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Some people even attributed his “performance” to Parkinson’s disease. Well, it had nothing to do with his real life. Matthew never had any medical condition. He did so for his character to make it more funnier. No doubt, Matthew’s plan worked. It was indeed funny. But do know what he really struggled with?
In his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, published in 2022, Perry described his lifetime battle with alcohol and opiate addiction. Although he claimed to have had his first drink at the age of 14, he didn’t realize he was an alcoholic until he was 21.
Matthew Perry was open about his struggle with alcohol and opiate addiction.
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He claimed that he had spent over $7 million since then on his sobriety efforts, which included several stays in rehab. In addition, a series of severe health problems resulting from his substance usage were brought on by him. In 2018, he said that a colon rupture that required five months in the hospital gave him only a 2% chance of surviving the night.
Remembering Matthew Perry!
Matthew Perry and all five of his main co-stars—David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, and Lisa Kudrow—became international celebrities, thanks to Friends, which is still well-liked in syndication. With their on-screen chemistry, the six received widespread praise from critics for portraying a close-knit group of young singles who shared homes and socialized at the fictional “Central Perk,” a coffee shop in Manhattan.
Despite the fact that in the seventh season of the show, Chandler and Cox’s character, Monica, got married, Perry never married in real life. As of this writing, none of Perry’s “Friends” co-stars have released a statement regarding his death. However, the official Instagram of Friends page stated:
We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry’s passing. He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans.
Meanwhile, Adele paid an emotional tribute to Perry and his character during her Saturday night gig in Las Vegas. She said,
I’ll remember that character for the rest of my life. He’s probably the best comedic actor of all time.
Similarly, Charlie Puth also gave him a tribute as he performed the theme song of Friends and See You Again simultaneously.