Matthew Perry spent much of his adult life being known around the world without necessarily being understood. For 10 years on “Friends,” he played Chandler Bing, turning sarcasm and self-deprecating humor into one of television’s most recognizable comic performances. Now, “The One About Matthew Perry” is set to revisit the actor’s life beyond the character, using private family footage and firsthand accounts from the people who knew him away from the spotlight.
The three-part Netflix documentary series premieres October 27, 2026, one day before the third anniversary of Perry’s death. He died on October 28, 2023, at 54, with his death attributed to the effects of ketamine and accidental drowning. In the documentary’s trailer, Perry can be heard reflecting on his complicated relationship with fame, saying, “I said God, you can do anything you want to me, just please make me famous.” After becoming famous, he adds, “God did not forget the other part.”
A Different Look At Matthew Perry
“The One About Matthew Perry” arrives after several documentaries and projects attempted to examine the actor’s death and struggles with addiction. Some of those releases were criticized for focusing on the circumstances surrounding his passing without offering enough insight into the person behind the headlines.
Netflix’s new series takes a different approach. Much of its material comes from Perry’s family archive, including unreleased photographs and videos, while his sister, Mia Perry Bowick, provides one of the documentary’s most personal perspectives.
The goal is to move beyond two familiar versions of Perry: the beloved sitcom star and the actor whose life was marked by addiction. Instead, the series attempts to present the different sides of his life together, including his relationships, career, humor, recovery and advocacy.
Three Episodes, Three Sides Of His Story
The documentary is divided into three episodes titled “The One About Love,“ “The One About Laughter” and “The One About a Friend.“ The titles deliberately echo the naming convention used throughout “Friends,” while giving the familiar format a more personal purpose.
Director Mary Robertson, an Emmy Award winner, said the series was created to explore the person audiences did not fully know.
“Through his many films, TV and stage performances and his unforgettable portrayal of Chandler Bing, he made millions of us laugh, connect and feel a little less alone,” Robertson said. She added that Perry “also gave us so much more by bravely speaking about addiction,” while noting that the public only knew part of his story.
The episodes look beyond “Friends,” tracing Perry’s early television career and the audition that helped launch his path to sitcom stardom. Former NBC Entertainment president Warren Littlefield and Season 1 writer Jeff Strauss are among those who recount that period.
His film and stage work, later television projects and experiences in recovery are also examined. The series also revisits the scale of his battle with addiction, including the estimated $9 million he said he spent on treatment over three decades in his 2022 memoir, “Friends,” “Lovers,” and “The Big Terrible Thing.”
The People Behind The Documentary
Matthew Perry’s sister and friends remember the generous, funny and larger than life man who rose to global superstardom — and share how the actor’s honesty became his greatest legacy.
The One About Matthew Perry, an intimate documentary series, premieres October 27. pic.twitter.com/WkQeiF8S3y
— Netflix (@netflix) September 29, 2026
Mia Perry Bowick plays a particularly important role in “The One About Matthew Perry,” offering memories of her brother that go beyond his public image.
She explained that she needed time before feeling ready to share what it was like to love Perry through the different stages of his life. Her perspective centers on seeing him “as a whole person,” rather than simply as Chandler Bing or someone who struggled with addiction.
The documentary also features Perry’s close friends David Pressman and Roger Castillo, former girlfriends and professional collaborators from different periods of his career.
That combination of testimony and private archive material gives the series access to aspects of Perry’s life that were largely absent from his public career. The unreleased photographs and videos are expected to show the actor in more intimate settings, away from the roles and public appearances that defined much of his life.
Perry’s Legacy Beyond Friends
While his career made him a global television star, “The One About Matthew Perry” also focuses on the work he pursued during recovery.
Perry founded Perry House in 2013, transforming his Malibu home into a sober living facility for men. He also became an outspoken advocate for addiction treatment, testified before Congress about drug treatment policy and developed a one-man stage show based on his experiences.
His 2022 memoir further documented the realities of his addiction and recovery, selling more than a million copies in its first week. Those efforts became an important part of how Perry wanted to use his public platform.
The documentary therefore arrives as more than another examination of his death. By bringing together his family’s private archive with testimony from people who knew him personally, “The One About Matthew Perry” is positioned as an attempt to examine the actor’s life in full, from his rise to international fame and his years as Chandler Bing to his struggles, relationships, recovery and efforts to help others.
Produced by Maxine Productions, part of Sony Pictures Television, and directed by Mary Robertson, “The One About Matthew Perry” premieres globally on Netflix on October 27, 2026.
Featured image: Renaschild/Deposit Photos
