‘Friends’ Star Matthew Perry Had Ketamine in His System When He Died

More than a month after his untimely death at 54, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office released the cause of Friends star Matthew Perry’s death. According to Variety, Perry died from “the acute effects of ketamine.” Contributing factors in the “Friends” actor’s death included drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine (used to treat opioid use disorder). His death was ruled an accident.

Initial reports of Perry’s death said that there were no drugs found at the scene, and he died from an apparent drowning. But Perry has a long history of drug abuse, including during his time staring as Chandler Bing on Friends. In October 2022, the actor said he recently celebrated 18 months of sobriety. He claimed to have been sober since early 2021.

According to the DEA, ketamine is used as a tranquilizer for humans, but it is most often used on large animals, including horses. An overdose of ketamine can cause dangerously slow breathing and unconsciousness.

Fans were shocked in late October when they learned of Perry’s untimely death. But Perry’s Friends costars, Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer, took his loss the hardest.

Perry’s Friends Costars said in a statement:

We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.

Just last week, in an interview with Variety, Jennifer Aniston said she spoke with Perry on the morning of his death. Aniston said:

He was happy. He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy — that’s all I know. I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling. He was happy.

Perry began his acting career in 1979 when he was just 10. He had one-episode roles on Silver Spoons, Just the Ten of Us, Who’s the Boss, Empty Nest, and Beverly Hills, 90210, before he took the part of Chandler on Friends. He would star in the NBC show for ten seasons and over 200 episodes.

Perry was very open about his addiction to drugs and alcohol, saying that at one point, he was drinking two pints of vodka and up to 30 pills a day. In 2018, Perry spent three months in the hospital after surgery to repair a gastrointestinal perforation caused by opioid abuse. He was in and out of rehab for substance abuse throughout his adult life. Even when Friends was at the height of its popularity, Perry was still trying to get sober.

He wrote in his autobiography:

I married Monica and got driven back to the treatment center — at the height of my highest point in ‘Friends,’ the highest point in my career, the iconic moment on the iconic show — in a pickup truck helmed by a sober technician,

May Matthew Perry Rest in Peace. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please visit the Matthew Perry Foundation for help or to donate to help continue Matthew Perry’s legacy and continue the fight against substance abuse.