Matthew Perry Wanted ‘High School Musical’ Star to Play Him in Biopic

On October 28, the world was shocked and saddened to hear that Friends star Matthew Perry had been found dead in a hot tub. He was just 54 years old. Fans around the world were mourning, and Perry’s friends and costars released statements honoring the actor and saying what he meant to them. His Friends costars even released a joint statement, saying they were “all so utterly devastated.” The group had formed a tight bond during the show and remained close friends.

Related: Fans Mourn Matthew Perry’s Tragic Loss, Worry Final Instagram Post May Have Foreshadowed Death

While Perry is most well-known for his role as Chandler Bing in Friends, he appeared in a number of other films and television shows in his long and successful career. In 2009, he appeared alongside High School Musical Star Zac Efron in the film 17 Again. The movie tells the story of Mike (Perry), a man who is upset with the way his life turned out. Mike is then transported back to his 17-year-old body when he falls through a time vortex. He then realizes just how lucky a person he really is.

Just one day before his death, Perry was seen dining in Los Angeles with Athenna Crosby, an entertainment reporter. She said that Perry had hoped to reunite with Efron for a biopic about his life.

Crosby spoke with PEOPLE about what Perry had talked about:

Entertainment reporter Athenna Crosby, who was photographed dining with Perry at the Hotel Bel-Air one day before his death, tells PEOPLE the Friends star “wanted to make a movie about his life and have a biopic made.” 

The model and actress adds that Perry “wanted Zac Efron, who’s played him already to play him again because he said he did such a good job.”

This is not the first time that Perry’s biopic has come up.

He then revealed that he had actually reached out to Efron to ask him if he would be interested in playing a young Matthew Perry if the movie got made. He said that Efron turned him down. Not only that, but he also said that Aubrey Plaza almost signed onto the project as well, but it didn’t work out.

Throughout his life, Perry struggled with alcohol and drug addiction. He first began having a problem after being injured in 1997 and receiving a prescription for Vicodin, a strong painkiller. From there, his addiction got worse. At the height of his struggles, Perry admitted to drinking two liters of vodka a day and taking more than three dozen painkillers.

At this time, Perry’s death has not been determined and has been “deferred” pending further investigation. However, a recent report said that a less-in-depth toxicology report determined that there were no signs of fentanyl or methamphetamine in his system. A more in-depth toxicology report is expected to be performed.

Police were originally called to the actor’s home after his assistant called 9-1-1, saying that the actor had suffered a “cardiac episode.”