What the Matthew Perry Netflix Doc Doesn't Tell You or Ignored: 'Friends' Cast, Rumors of Romance and a Deep Dive Into His Death
Netflix released a docuseries on Matthew Perry.
Oct. 27 2026, Published 4:01 p.m. ET
Netflix's all-new docuseries, The One About Matthew Perry, explored the late actor's rise to fame as Chandler on Friends, his battles with addiction, and interviews with his close friends and family.
However, there were several topics that were glossed over or ignored entirely, from the complete absence of his sitcom co-stars to rumors of romance with A-listers, RadarOnline.com has learned.
'Friends' Cast Was Not Included in Docuseries
The cast of 'Friends' chose not to participate in the docuseries.
Viewers may have expected to see the cast of Friends as main players in the docuseries, but neither Jennifer Aniston, 57, Courteney Cox, 62, Lisa Kudrow, 63, Matt LeBlanc, 59, nor David Schwimmer, 59, made an appearance.
The show's director, Mary Robertson, confirmed that she had reached out to all of them, but they chose not to participate.
In a sit-down with the Los Angeles Times, she elaborated on potential reasons behind some of Perry's loved ones choosing not to be involved in the project.
"I think that many who were close to Matthew were obviously grieving him but also processing and trying to understand and make sense of how they lost him and why they lost him."
"We’re really thrilled that (those who participated) supported this project at a really early stage and understood that it could be tender and unflinching; that it could be a love letter to Matthew," she concluded.
Matthew Perry and Meg Ryan's Rumored Romance
In his hit memoir published one year before his death, Perry reflected on several high-profile relationships he had with big Hollywood stars, from Julia Roberts to Lizzie Caplan.
Some of the late actor's ex-girlfriends also appeared in the Netflix doc, but one rumored romance that wasn't clarified was with Meg Ryan.
Perry and Ryan were briefly linked in 2007 after being spotted on several outings together in Los Angeles.
Although neither has publicly confirmed or denied their romance, Aceshowbiz reported that they quietly dated for roughly 5 months.
A source told Radar in 2007 that Ryan had "sworn off men" for years after her affair with Russell Crowe ended.
"She said at one point that she would probably be alone raising her daughter and joked about being a spinster in her old age," the source added.
Matthew Perry's 'Biggest Desire'
Matthew Perry wrote about his Hollywood romances in his memoir.
Meanwhile, the Fools Rush In star had been searching for his other half, but hadn't found someone to settle down and start a family with at the time.
"That fact made him very sad," the source noted, adding that his "biggest desire" had been for a "loving wife, children and a happy home."
Matthew Perry's Death Glossed Over
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Matthew Perry died at 54.
On October 28, 2023, Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his L.A. home. Medical examiners later confirmed that his cause of death was the effects of ketamine, with coronary artery disease, drowning and buprenorphine as contributing factors.
He was only 54.
Perry's death and the subsequent court case that landed several people behind bars – including "Ketamine Queen" Jasveen Sangha, Dr. Salvador Plasencia, and personal assistant Kenneth Iwamasa – were also brushed over in the docuseries.
His death got around 15 minutes of coverage near the end of the series. Most of the series was focused on Perry in life.
