Friends is generally known as one of the best sitcoms of all time, with entire generations watching the sextet of buddies at Central Perk. Folks regularly re-watch the series with an HBO Max subscription, which is why the internet exploded when news of Matthew Perry’s 2023 death was announced. There’s a new documentary coming out about his life, and the film’s director revealed one big wish he has for the highly anticipated project.
The One About Matthew Perry will release October 27th for those with a Netflix subscription, with filmmaker Mary Robertson being the director behind the camera. During a recent interview with People, she spoke about a goal for the series that was inspired by the late actor. In her words:
I know he would want it to be funny. I’ve learned through his people that he would want this film to be funny, so I hope we did great by you, Matthew. We really tried.
Honestly, this makes a ton of sense. Chandler had iconic one-liners throughout Friends, and Perry was responsible for some of the biggest laughs from its ten-season run on the air. So while the documentary about the actor will likely still touch on tragedy of his death, it sounds like it’ll also be bringing the funny in order to properly honor its subject.
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Later in the same interview, Robertson went on to share how he collaborated with the late actor’s sister Mia Perry about the way he’d be portrayed in The One About Matthew Perry. The doc was given the thumbs-up from those who actually knew the Friends icon, with the filmmaker saying:
But we forged a connection in that moment, and I think we recognized that our desire to tell this story came from a similar place. Of course, Mia’s came from a place of real intimacy and connection to Matthew on the most profound level, but she wanted to humanize him. She wanted to show the world the part of him that wasn’t Chandler Bing and that wasn’t, as she says, Matthew Perry, the celebrity, but Matthew Perry, the human, the brother, the friend. That was my intention too in many ways.
It certainly sounds like Mary Robertson was methodical in her approach to the Matthew Perry documentary series. She wanted to make sure that its source was portrayed properly, with an emphasis on who he was as a person. While his story is ultimately a tragic one, she also wants there to be enough comedy to help highlight his talent and sense of humor. I have to assume that it’s going to be an emotional watch, especially given Friends’ ongoing impact on pop culture.
The One About Matthew Perry will arrive on Netflix October 27th as part of the 2026 TV schedule. For those looking to re-watch his work on Friends, they can do that over on HBO Max.
