Matthew Perry’s addiction struggles on his last trip to Sydney

A look back at Matthew Perry’s trip to Australia right after Friends ended has shone some light on his addiction struggles.

Matthew Perry was surprisingly spotted at Bondi just weeks after Friends wrapped, as he reportedly struggled with addiction issues.

The Friends star, known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing in the series, died in an apparent drowning accident at his Los Angeles home on Saturday.

The 54-year-old was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi by an assistant.

Mr Perry made no secret of the fact he had long struggled with substance abuse problems, opening up in his 2022 memoir about a decades-long addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Actor Matthew Perry at Bondi Icebergs in Sydney in 2004.

Mr Perry had flown to Sydney to pitch himself for a role with Australian director Chris Noonan.

David Schwimmer with Perry during the Friends reunion. Picture: Terence Patrick

The actor was reportedly struggling with his addiction when he took a whirlwind trip to Australia in 2004 to pitch himself for a movie.

Mr Perry was spotted at Bondi Icebergs for a meeting with director Chris Noonan, just weeks after the final episode of Friends was filmed.

The Australian director behind the Oscar-nominated Babe film said that the actor was “desperate” to have a role in a romantic comedy that never eventuated.

“He wants to be a film actor and he‘s been in a few films but nothing that stood out. He really wants a good film role,” Mr Noonan told Confidential at the time.

“He‘s a great guy. He read this script and just had to come and pitch himself for it.”

According to the reports, Mr Perry spent the majority of his time in Bondi, spotted out on the town enjoying dinner with multiple friends before picking up CDs by Guy Sebastian and Shannon Noll and heading home just a few days later.

The beloved sitcom Friends turned its stars into household names. Picture: Warner Bros. / Courtesy: Everett Collection

Perry was reportedly struggling with substance abuse when he visited Australia.

However, rumours were swirling back home that he was in the grips of his addiction, turning to drinking and smoking marijuana.

“I have all this money and fancy cars and beautiful girlfriends, but it wasn‘t making me happy,’’ he was reported to have said at the time.

“I used to go get coffee at the minimart and the gas station attendant seemed happier than me.

“I thought to myself, `How can this guy be happier? Doesn‘t he know how big my house is?’”

“Next thing you know, I had a margarita in my hand and I was buying some dope.”

It’s not believed that Mr Perry returned to Australia before his sudden death nearly 20 years later.

Tributes have poured in for the beloved actor, with Maggie Wheeler, who played his character’s much loathed girlfriend Janice, posting a tribute on Instagram.

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. pic.twitter.com/Xv6HkpSEBl

— FRIENDS (@FriendsTV) October 29, 2023

In The Whole Nine Yards - Matthew Perry runs full force into a patio door - that and the scene that followed is one of the top comedic moments I’ve witnessed.

I told him so when I recurred on The Odd Couple. He smiled so big I thought he’d crack his face

It was beautiful

— Lisa Ann Walter (@LisaAnnWalter) October 29, 2023

“What a loss. The world will miss you Matthew Perry,” she wrote.

“The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.”

Selma Blair also posted a tribute to her “oldest boy friend”.

“All of us loved Matthew Perry, and I did especially. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I’m broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty. Sweet dreams,” she wrote.

Stars from Mr Perry’s most recent work, playing Oscar Madison on The Odd Couple, also shared tributes.

“Our #OddCouple family suffered a great loss today. The entire entertainment world has. I am too sad about the news to say more than this,” Yvette Nicole Brown wrote on Twitter.

Originally published as Matthew Perry’s addiction struggles on his last trip to Sydney