Matthew Perry, the late actor famous for his role as Chandler Bing on the beloved TV series Friends, reportedly had aspirations of a biopic about his life. Tragically, he passed away last week at the age of 54. Just a day before his passing, Perry confided in a friend, Athenna Crosby, about his desire to create a movie based on his life journey. According to Crosby, Perry had a specific actor in mind to portray a younger version of himself in the biopic – Zac Efron.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Crosby revealed, “He said that he wanted to make a movie about his life. He had worked with Zac Efron in the past on a movie, and said he wanted Zac Efron to play him as a younger version and that he was gonna ask him soon to do that.”
Perry and Efron previously co-starred in the 2009 film 17 Again, in which they played the younger and older versions of the same character in a body-swap comedy.
In his discussions about the potential biopic, Perry also intended to share his journey of recovery from addiction and raise awareness of this issue. Crosby mentioned that Perry was optimistic and excited about this project. On the day before his untimely death, Crosby noted that he was in good spirits, cracking jokes during their lunch meeting and displaying optimism about his future plans.
Furthermore, Crosby mentioned that Perry believed his 2022 memoir, titled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, had sparked a renewed interest in his life and career. He hoped to leverage this newfound public attention for a second act in his career.
Matthew Perry passed away on October 28, with the official cause of death listed as an apparent drowning in his hot tub. His fans and the entertainment industry mourn his loss, but his legacy and memorable performances in Friends and other works will continue to be celebrated.