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Friends star Matthew Perry, who died of a heart attack last month at the age of 54, was secretly addicted to drugs even while he had a 24/7 nursing team and a live-in sober companion, sources have revealed.
According to insiders, Perry would use the exclusive dating app Raya to hook up with much younger women, who would often sneak him illicit substances such as cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
"He was incredibly reclusive in his final years and became irritable and paranoid. He would only go out to meet these girls from Raya, who were mostly in their 20s and 30s. They had no idea who he was or what he was going through. They just wanted to have fun with a famous actor," one source told us.
The source added that Perry's drug habit was so severe that he was "never clean", contrary to the claims he made in his 2022 memoir, "Could I Be Any More Honest?", in which he said he had been sober since 2019.
"He lied about his sobriety. He was never clean. He was always high on something. He had a team of nurses and a sober companion who tried to help him, but he would find ways to get around them. He would hide drugs in his clothes, in his car, in his bathroom. He was a master manipulator," the source said.
Another source, who claimed to have dated Perry on Raya, said he was "very charming and funny" at first, but soon became "erratic and unpredictable".
"He would text me all the time, asking me to come over. He would send me pictures of himself with drugs and money. He would tell me he loved me and wanted to marry me. He would also get angry and jealous if I didn't reply or if I talked to other guys. He was very possessive and controlling," the source said.
The source said she ended the relationship after she realized Perry was using her to get drugs.
"He asked me to bring him some coke one night. I refused. He got mad and said he would get it from someone else. He said he didn't care about me or anyone else. He said he only cared about getting high. That's when I knew he was beyond help. I blocked him and never saw him again," the source said.
Perry's death shocked the world, as he was widely regarded as one of the most beloved and successful sitcom stars of all time. He rose to fame as Chandler Bing on the hit show Friends, which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. He also starred in movies such as The Whole Nine Yards, 17 Again, and Fools Rush In.
He had a long history of substance abuse and mental health issues, which he attributed to his childhood trauma, his fame, and his failed relationships. He had several stints in rehab and was hospitalized several times for pancreatitis, pneumonia, and gastrointestinal bleeding.
He is survived by his fiancée, Molly Hurwitz, whom he proposed to in November 2022, and his two children, Jack and Lily, from his previous marriage to actress Lizzy Caplan.