How Matthew Perry's Struggles With Addiction Impacted His Romance With Julia Roberts
In a sad twist of fate, Matthew Perry died on Julia Roberts’ birthday. It added some sadness to the already emotional history between the two. Let's find out.
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Disclaimer: This article contains mention of death and addiction.
October 28, 2023, saw the world shocked by Matthew Perry’s sudden death. Matthew Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home, with a distressing amount of ketamine in his system as he lay unresponsive in a bathtub. Furthermore, this shock was heightened by the fact that an investigation into his death had led to multiple arrests. As authorities delve deeper into the circumstances surrounding his overdose, a poignant chapter of Perry's life has come into sharper focus—his relationship with actress Julia Roberts.
Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts’ romance began under extraordinary circumstances. Roberts agreed to appear on *FRIENDS* only if her storyline involved Perry’s character, Chandler Bing. Perry, thrilled by the opportunity, sent Roberts three dozen red roses along with a heartfelt note. This gesture sparked a playful exchange between the two stars. Roberts responded with bagels and thus began a whirlwind romance that Perry described as a “three-month courtship,” conducted largely through daily faxes.
Perry and Roberts formed a deep bond during their brief but intense romance. Perry fell under the spell of Roberts, looking forward to her faxes with great anticipation, even rushing back from various events to check if she had faxed him again. It was quite evident that they had a future together in Perry’s mind as he was excited about it. However, due to the pressures of fame and personal struggles by Perry himself, things began falling apart.
As their relationship grew deeper, however, Perry started having doubts about his career and life in general. Despite having been happy and thrilled during the honeymoon period of their love affair, Perry felt the pressure of sustaining it. He feared losing her (Roberts), who was a highly successful actress and looked very beautiful. Instead of facing possible rejection later on, Perry chose to break up with her because he couldn’t cope with these worries.
This marked a turning point for Perry after their separation. He dealt with his own insecurities and growing drug addiction which he had battled with for some time then. Nonetheless, despite their separation, Julia Roberts stayed supportive of him throughout that process too. She understood how much he suffered through it all which made her remain caring towards him though this could no longer be traced back to a romantic connection between them anymore.
After their breakup, Perry’s alcoholism fight grew worse. He had numerous challenges in his private and professional life and his drug addiction became more public. This struggle with addiction was a fixture in Perry’s life that interfered with his working life as well as relationships. Despite making multiple attempts to deal with it or reach out for help, the impact of these difficulties on him was profound.
In a sad twist of fate, Matthew Perry died on Julia Roberts’ birthday. It added some sadness to the already emotional history. Their romantic encounter was short-lived but they remained connected long after they separated. Even during complicated personal lives, Roberts’ loyalty to her friend during his final years shows how strong their bond has been.
These recent events brought this period of Perry’s life back into focus in relation to the investigation surrounding his death. The public is gaining an insight into Perry’s struggle with addiction that affected his relationship as authorities continue shedding light on circumstances that led to his overdose. This tragic end only serves to highlight how those grappling with substance abuse are faced with personal relationships unbeknownst to others most times.
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