It took a lot of effort for the sitcom’s Friends stars to build a career outside of their characters. It is believed that Jennifer Aniston has achieved the greatest success among her former colleagues. There are many arguments: big box office receipts of her films, mass recognition, maximum publicity. It can be argued that other members of the ensemble managed to remain in demand.
Comedy success
This cannot be denied: in terms of letting go of sarcastic jokes, few people manage to compete with the hero of Chandler Byng. Fortunately, Matthew has given the world more than one comedic role. The natural talent and improvisational baggage helped him, even during the release of Friends, to successfully play Nicholas Ozeranski in the crime comedy The Whole Nine Yards and in the sequel The Whole Nine Yards 2. Fun Fact: Matthew’s co-star Bruce Willis lost a bet with him and starred in several episodes of Friends season 6 for free.
Craving for drama
In dramatic projects, he got interesting secondary roles. One of the first such materials for him was the series The West Wing. In three appearances as lawyer Joe Kinsey, Perry received more Emmy nominations than in all 10 seasons of Friends (two nominations versus one). He also received rave reviews for his guest role as a ruthless lawyer on the hit series The Good Wife.
Leading roles in little-known films
In the filmography of Matthew, you can also note several serious roles that show the depth of his acting skills. In the 2006 television drama The Ron Clarke Story, Perry takes on the role of a teacher who cares about the fate of troubled students. Ron Clarke inspires hope not only in children but also in the viewer. This role even earned a Golden Globe nomination.
A year later, the film Helpless was released, where Matthew played a screenwriter with depersonalization syndrome.
Later, in 2017, Perry starred as Ted Kennedy in the mini-series Kennedy: After Camelot. The actor appeared in the images of Kennedy in the intervals from 38 to 67 years.
Ups and downs
Matthew’s career could not be called stable: many long-term projects were curtailed for various reasons, and episodic roles were remembered by the audience. It’s no secret that the actor suffered from drug addiction during and after the filming of Friends. The period of rehabilitation with changes in weight and energy periodically made itself felt. Perry even admitted that he did not remember most of the events from the third through sixth seasons of filming Friends.
Future projects and reunion of Friends
The long-awaited Friends reunion awaits us. The main characters will be together again, visit the set, prepare surprises, and share behind-the-scenes footage, but they will not portray their original characters.
