Friends fans are mourning the loss of Chandler Bing actor Matthew Perry. While Perry played a lovable fictional character on TV, he openly discussed the troubles he went through in life. He also had several high-profile relationships with celebrities. Sadly, the actor died in October 2023. So, was Matthew Perry married when he died, and did he have any kids?
Was ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry married? He was engaged once before calling it off
Matthew Perry was not married when he died in October 2023. The closest he got to marriage was his engagement to Molly Hurwitz in 2020. Perry, who was 51 then, started dating the 29-year-old in 2018. While he got down on one knee two years later to the literary manager. But their relationship didn’t work out.
“Sometimes, things just don’t work out, and this is one of them,” he told People after the broken engagement. “I wish Molly the best.”
Before his engagement, Perry dated Julia Roberts from 1995 to 1996, Yasmine Bleeth in 1996, Neve Campbell in 1998, Maeve Quinlan from 2002-2003, Lauren Graham in 2003, Rachel Dunn from 2003 to 2005, and Lizzy Caplan from 2006 to 2012. After releasing his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he reflected on feeling fearful of relationships moving forward, thus resulting in a breakup.
“That was me afraid,” he told People. “That is what I manifest, something that’s wrong with them. And then I break up with them. But there can’t be something wrong with everyone. I’m the common denominator. I left first because I thought they were going to annihilate me.”
While Perry felt fearful of love in his adult life, he said he worked hard to overcome it. “I’m going to learn as I go,” he continued. “The thing that’s changed about me is I have no interest in hanging out with somebody that I don’t know or somebody that I’m not that into. The next person I really take seriously is somebody that I’m going to be in love with and not be scared by the things that used to scare me.”
He added that he hoped to find a partner who could support themselves financially, as women who wanted his wealth “burned” him in the past.
Did he have kids? He thought he’d make a ‘great’ father
Not only did Matthew Perry never marry, but he also never had kids. Despite never having children of his own, Perry was open about wanting to become a father.
“I think I’d be great, I really do,” he told People of fatherhood. “I grew up with a lot of little kids around me, and that’s probably why, but I can’t wait.”
Perry’s friend, Kayti Edwards, spoke to The Sun in 2020 about Perry wanting a family of his own. At the time, Perry and Molly Hurwitz still planned to walk down the aisle.
“I always knew that he wanted to have a family,” Edwards said. “I would be like, ‘Well, you need to find a partner before you can be a dad.’ I’m happy he found somebody that stuck. Molly will be his anchor, but his child will be his serious anchor. He will actually think twice before he wants to drink again.”
Edwards added that Perry had a car seat in his car for his best friend’s daughter, and he loved having a niece. She also noted that she thought he and Edwards were a great match, as she’d help keep him from falling back into his addictions.
“He’s getting older, and to be on dating apps at 51, it’s kind of depressing,” she said. “It’s good for her. He doesn’t have any crazy ex-wives, he doesn’t have any children he’s paying child support on. Normally, at that age, you have that.”
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