Netflix's Matthew Perry documentary: family accounts of addiction and funeral, Friends cast absent
Netflix's three-part series The One About Matthew Perry, premiering 27 October, draws on Perry's sister and friends. His five Friends co-stars were invited but declined to take part, the director says.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2Netflix's three-part documentary series The One About Matthew Perry, directed by Mary Robertson, premieres on 27 October, a day before the third anniversary of the Friends actor's death. NewsweekN “the series premieres October 27, one day before the third anniversary of Perry's death” Read at Newsweek ↗ The IndependentLC “set to arrive October 27 on Netflix” Read at The Independent ↗ Mixed · 2Perry's younger sister, Mia Perry Bowick, is one of its central voices, and friends including Tim Harrington, Kevin Pollak, David Pressman and Jeff Strauss also appear, according to Newsweek. NewsweekN “Bowick is one of the documentary's central voices” Read at Newsweek ↗ The IndependentLC “also features significant contributions from the actor’s younger sister Mia Perry Bowick” Read at The Independent ↗ Mixed · 2Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer do not appear. Robertson told The New York Times that the cast was approached and decided not to take part, and said she understood they are grieving. The IndependentLC “We did approach them about participation. They decided not to participate.” Read at The Independent ↗ NewsweekN “Robertson confirmed that the five surviving Friends leads were invited but declined.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Centre · 1Newsweek adds that Perry's stepfather, Keith Morrison, and other family members also declined to participate. NewsweekN “Perry's stepfather, Keith Morrison, and other family members also declined to participate.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Left · 1Robertson said Warren Littlefield, who helped greenlight Friends, describes being in the room when Perry auditioned for Chandler. The IndependentLC “he tells the story of being in the room when Matthew auditioned for Chandler” Read at The Independent ↗ Centre · 1Bowick says Perry spent more than $7 million pursuing sobriety. Newsweek notes that coverage of his 2022 memoir cited more than $9 million. NewsweekN “A discrepancy is worth noting: coverage of Perry's 2022 memoir says he spent more than $9 million on rehab, while the new documentary gives the figure as more than $7 million.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Mixed · 2Bowick says Perry had just left treatment around the time of Chandler and Monica's wedding episode. She also says he was excited about the storyline, because he felt less spotlighted than Rachel and Ross and it let him play a tender, vulnerable side. NewsweekN “Bowick said her brother had just left treatment after his drug and alcohol use worsened” Read at Newsweek ↗ The IndependentLC “He was not just silly Chandler anymore.” Read at The Independent ↗ Centre · 1Bowick describes the private funeral: she says the five co-stars arrived together, Aniston was the first to embrace her, and they held hands around the casket crying. Newsweek is the only outlet here to report this. NewsweekN “all five co-stars approached Perry's casket, held hands, and stood around it crying.” Read at Newsweek ↗ Centre · 1Perry died on 28 October 2023 at age 54. The Los Angeles County medical examiner found the cause was the acute effects of ketamine, with drowning, coronary artery disease and buprenorphine effects contributing, and ruled it an accident. NewsweekN “Perry died on October 28, 2023, at age 54.”“His death was ruled an accident.” Read at Newsweek ↗
Mixed · 2Five people were prosecuted over the ketamine supply: assistant Kenneth Iwamasa, Erik Fleming, doctors Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, and Jasveen Sangha. The Independent reports that Sangha, called the "Ketamine Queen", was sentenced to 15 years in prison. NewsweekN “Five defendants were ultimately prosecuted in connection with the ketamine supply chain.” Read at Newsweek ↗ The IndependentLC “Jasveen Sangha, the so-called “Ketamine Queen” who has been sentenced to 15 years in prison” Read at The Independent ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- The Independent leads with the director's explanation of why the Friends cast is absent, then adds Bowick's comments on the wedding storyline.
- Emphasis
- Robertson's New York Times comments, the cast's grief, and Perry's acting range as Chandler.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the funeral account, the $7 million rehab figure or the medical examiner's full findings.
- Charged language
- “Ketamine Queen”
- For example
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“We know the Friends cast loves Matthew and is grieving Matthew.” — The Independent
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Newsweek presents a listicle of 'bombshells' covering the addiction, funeral and recovery work, with background on the death and prosecutions.
- Emphasis
- The funeral scene, rehab spending, the Friends wedding episode and the criminal case.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not include Robertson's account of speaking to Warren Littlefield or Bowick's comments on Perry's excitement over the Chandler–Monica storyline.
- Charged language
- “Bombshells”
- For example
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“A new Netflix documentary reveals striking details about Matthew Perry's addiction, life and funeral.” — Newsweek
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- The One About Matthew Perry is a three-part Netflix series directed by Mary Robertson, premiering 27 October.
- Mia Perry Bowick features prominently.
- Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc and Schwimmer were approached and declined to take part.
- Perry died in 2023 aged 54 and five people were charged over the ketamine supply.
Mary Robertson person
Robertson says she approached the Friends cast, who chose not to take part, and that she respects their grief. She says she wanted to show Perry as more than Chandler Bing.
“We did approach them about participation. They decided not to participate.” — The Independent
“Robertson said Bowick wanted audiences to see her brother not simply as Chandler Bing or a celebrity” — Newsweek
Netflix organisation
Netflix is releasing the series on 27 October. Coverage does not quote the company directly.
“The One About Matthew Perry premieres on Netflix on October 27.” — Newsweek
Matthew Perry person
Perry is presented through his sister's and friends' recollections as a man who fought addiction persistently and helped others in recovery.
“Robertson said Perry's father, John Bennett Perry, saw his son as a fighter” — Newsweek
Left1 article
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Matthew Perry documentary director addresses why Friends cast didn’t participate
Neutral Reports the director's explanation for the Friends cast's absence and Bowick's comments on the wedding storyline.
Centre1 article
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Five Biggest Bombshells Revealed in Matthew Perry Netflix Doc
Sympathetic Roundup of the documentary's revelations about addiction and the funeral, with background on the death and prosecutions and subscription details.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 25 Oct 09:00 First NewsweekN Five Biggest Bombshells Revealed in Matthew Perry Netflix Doc
- 26 Oct 17:01 +32h 2m The IndependentLC Matthew Perry documentary director addresses why Friends cast didn’t participate
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.
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