Matthew Perry, famed for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit TV show “Friends,” was found unresponsive in his own hot tub just days after a cryptic Instagram post. Perry, 53, posted a photo of himself in the hot tub, with the caption “I’m Mattman” on October 22nd. The world was left wondering what the enigmatic comment could mean.
It has been revealed that Perry has long been obsessed with Batman, to the extent that he based his beloved $20 million home on the superhero’s lair. In a memoir and in conversation with director Adam McKay, Perry expressed his desire to create a comeback project centered around a character named Mattman who uses an inheritance to become a superhero.
McKay, who cast Perry in “Don’t Look Up” alongside Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, and Jonah Hill, expressed concern over Perry’s health and low energy during filming. Perry pitched the Mattman idea to McKay while on set, and it was clear to McKay that the concept held significance for Perry.
According to McKay, the idea of Mattman might have been a reflection of Perry’s struggles with his own mortality, as well as a callback to his efforts to help others, evidenced by the newly announced Matthew Perry Foundation, which will continue Perry’s work in advocating for sobriety.
Despite disagreements over project ideas, McKay was eager to find Perry a place in the film, but Perry’s health issues led to his character being removed from the final cut of “Don’t Look Up.” Perry reportedly flew to a rehab facility in Switzerland after being cut from the film in order to obtain a prescription for 1,800 milligrams of OxyContin per day.
Nevertheless, Perry’s legacy as a talented actor and his efforts to help others through his foundation will continue to impact and inspire many.