Matthew Perry, an American-Canadian actor, has spoken out about his alcoholism.
In an interview glamsquad, Diane Sawyer, the 53-year-old Friends actor recalled drinking a “entire bottle” of wine at the age of 14.
According to Matthew, he “had never drank before” prior to the 14-year-old experience, which had a profound impact on him.
‘I was in heaven,’ said Perry, who is promoting his new memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which details his battle with addiction. “This must be how normal people feel all the time,” I reasoned.
‘By the time I was 18, I was drinking every day,’ the Williamstown, Massachusetts native added.
Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the NBC smash hit, told Sawyer that he started taking prescription pain medication in 1997 after being in a jet ski accident while filming the film Fools Rush In.
Matthew Perry, the actor, claims he drank an
‘I had to wake up and realize I needed 55 [Vicodin pills] or I’d be really sick.’ ‘A bunch of doctors, phony migraines,’ he explained. ‘I guess the strangest thing I did was go to open houses on Sundays and go to the bathrooms and see what pills they had in there and steal them.’
‘I think they were thinking, ‘Well, there’s no way Chandler came in and stole from us.’
During the interview, Sawyer asked Perry, ‘How will we know when you’re in trouble, when you’re not okay?’ Perry responded, ‘If I say, “I’m just going to chill at home alone tonight;” and part two, the other thing, if I ever say, “I’m cured.”
Perry claims that his 30-year battle with addiction has seen him in therapy for 30 years, go to rehab 15 times, attend approximately 6,000 AA meetings, and survive 14 surgeries.
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The actor told Sawyer that, despite his history of alcoholism, he did not use drugs or alcohol on the set of the NBC hit.
Perry stated, ‘I made a rule that I would never drink or take anything at work.’ ‘So I would never do that, but I would show up drunk.’ As in shaking. I adored Chandler and the show. “Remember this, because it’s going to be the best time of your life,” I knew. And I knew I’d never forgive myself if I botched this.’