'The One About Matthew Perry' Arrives on Netflix as the Friends Star's Death Turns Three

Netflix released The One About Matthew Perry on Tuesday, Oct. 27, a three-part documentary about the Friends star’s life, career and long struggle with addiction. It landed one day before the third anniversary of his death: Perry died on Oct. 28, 2023, at age 54.

The series, directed by Emmy winner Mary Robertson (Quiet on Set), is billed by Netflix as the first in-depth documentary about the actor. It drew wide attention on its first day, along with renewed interest in how Perry died and how the Friends cast is, or isn’t, involved.

What the documentary is about

The series runs about three hours across three episodes. It follows Perry from his childhood, split between his mother in Canada and his father, actor John Bennett Perry, in California, through his early days as a struggling actor in Los Angeles, his breakout as Chandler Bing and the years of addiction that followed.

Netflix says the series is “anchored by never-before-heard testimonies” from his younger sister, Mia Perry Bowick, a licensed psychotherapist, and his best friends of more than 40 years, Roger Castillo and David Pressman. It also uses unreleased photos and home video from the Perry family’s archive.

“It’s taken time for me to feel ready to share these memories and what it was like to love Matthew through all the complexity of his life — to see him as a whole person, not just as Chandler, and not just as someone who struggled with addiction,” Bowick told Netflix’s Tudum.

Robertson told Tudum she wanted to make a film “for those who love Matthew — which, by the way, is kind of everyone — to love him more,” including “the struggle and the joy, the lightness and the darkness.”

Who appears, and who doesn’t

Interviewed in the series, per Netflix:

• Mia Perry Bowick, his sister, speaking about him on camera for the first time
• Roger Castillo and David Pressman, his longtime best friends
• Former NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield and Friends writer-producer Jeff Strauss
• Actor Kevin Pollak and director Jonathan Lynn (The Whole Nine Yards)
• Former partners and friends from recovery, including Tim Harrington, who credits Perry with saving his life
• E. Martin Estrada, the former U.S. attorney who led the prosecution connected to Perry’s death

Not interviewed: his five Friends co-stars, including Jennifer Aniston. They appear only in archival footage. “We did approach them, and they decided not to participate,” Robertson told Tudum. Variety noted other famous friends, such as Hank Azaria, also did not sit for interviews.

What critics are saying

Early reviews are respectful, if not all glowing:

Variety highlighted the series’ portrayal of the 2021 Friends reunion as a source of anxiety for Perry, who was hurt by online comments about his appearance while still recovering from a coma and related complications.

How did Matthew Perry die?

Perry was found dead in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. Medical officials said his death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning listed as a contributing factor, the BBC reported.

The case led to five guilty pleas. According to the BBC:

• Jasveen Sangha, the dealer prosecutors dubbed the “Ketamine Queen,” was sentenced in April 2026 to 15 years in prison.
• Dr. Salvador Plasencia was sentenced in December 2025 to 30 months.
• Dr. Mark Chavez was sentenced the same month to eight months of home detention.
• Erik Fleming was sentenced to two years in prison.
• Kenneth Iwamasa, Perry’s live-in assistant who admitted injecting him, was sentenced in May 2026 to 41 months.

Variety said the documentary covers the legal case only briefly in its closing minutes, with Bowick strongly criticizing Iwamasa for not alerting the family.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance use, reach out to a doctor or a local treatment helpline. This article is not medical advice.

FAQ