A year ago, Matthew Perry passed away, sparking discussions about who would inherit his fortune. The actor once remarked that his father would not see “a dime” of his money, but a lawyer has since shared who might inherit the Hollywood star’s estate.
Television star Matthew Perry was neither married nor had children when he tragically passed away in October 2023. He had previously stated that his father, John Perry, would not inherit his wealth.
For most of his life, Matthew battled substance abuse. At one point, he even brought alcohol into his father’s home, who was then married to someone else. In his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” he revealed that his stepmother was so upset by this incident that his father calmly asked him to leave.
The Hollywood star remembered thinking, “‘Oh, I’ll leave, but neither of you will ever see a dime of my money, ever,’ I thought, but I did not say.” He sadly passed away on October 28, 2023, at age 54, from an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home.
Three days after the news of his untimely passing, entertainment lawyer Tre Lovell shared insights on who might inherit his wealth. During an interview, Tre discussed Matthew’s earnings.
Who Might Inherit Matthew’s Wealth?
The lawyer highlighted the money the late actor earned from the hit ’90s sitcom “Friends,” where he starred alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc for ten years.
He explained that Matthew and his co-stars continue to earn “$20 million” annually in residuals. They will keep receiving it as long as the show continues airing.
Tre added that residuals continue to be paid even after an actor’s death, as they are considered an “obligation” to them. In cases where there are offspring, the funds can go to them but in Matthew’s situation, Tre noted that a designee would determine where his royalties would be allocated.
According to the lawyer, it was unclear if the Emmy-nominated actor had established a trust for his estate or drafted a will to specify his assets. He indicated that if Matthew had not made such arrangements, his fortune could go to his next of kin—his father, John, and stepmother, Suzanne Morrison.
John Bennett Perry is seen arriving at Matthew Perry’s home on October 28, 2023, in Pacific Palisades, California | Source: Getty Images
Tre elaborated, “[Given] the fact that he didn’t have a spouse or children, it would go to his parents, equally.” The lawyer also mentioned that the late star likely arranged for part of his money to support addiction recovery charities, which he actively supported.
In March 2024, revelations about the late star having a will drafted in 2009 surfaced. The will stipulated that most of Matthew’s belongings would be placed in the “Alvy Singer Living Trust.” His trust was named after Woody Allen’s neurotic playwright character in “Annie Hall.”
Court documents obtained on March 12, 2024, by one publication revealed these details. The documents stated that the late actor did not wish any potential future children to inherit his wealth.
Matthew’s Will Reveals His Beneficiaries
In a signed copy of his will, Matthew wrote, “I have intentionally omitted from this Will and the Trust any provision for any of my heirs, issue, relatives, or other persons who are not named.” He continued, “I also intentionally do not provide for any stepchildren or foster children that I now have or may later acquire.”
As Tre partially mentioned, John, Suzanne, Matthew’s half-sister Caitlin Morrison, and his ex-girlfriend Rachel Dunn were listed as beneficiaries of the trust. The late star and Rachel had dated for two years before their 2005 breakup.
Rachel Dunn and Matthew Perry during the Emmy Creative Arts Awards at Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, on September 12, 2004 | Source: Getty Images
Lisa Ferguson and Robin Ruzan were appointed as executors of the actor’s will. Robin, who is Mike Myer’s ex-wife, was also the executive producer of the game show “Celebrity Liar,” in which Matthew appeared in 2010.
The late celebrity also noted in his will, “If one of them fails or ceases to act, I nominate the other of them to act as Executor hereof.”
Matthew Perry at the 12th annual Lili Claire Foundation benefit luncheon on October 4, 2009, in Brentwood, California | Source: Getty Images
The television star, who spoke openly about his finances, disclosed in an October 2022 interview that he spent about “$9 million” in efforts to recover from his alcohol and substance addictions.
Moreover, Matthew became involved in supporting others in overcoming addiction. He converted his Malibu beach house into a men’s sober living facility called Perry House. The star also mentioned in his book that he believed there was no risk of going broke, even while addressing his addiction.
The late actor shared that he anticipated a financial shift after securing the role of Chandler Bing on “Friends,” a role that made him a household name. He disclosed that he and his co-stars eventually earned one million dollars per episode, with each actor earning “$1,100,040 per episode” by season ten.
“Friends” was watched by 52.9 million viewers and became the most-watched show following the Super Bowl. The show generated much ad revenue, with each 30-second spot costing over half a million dollars, proving highly lucrative for NBC.
Soon after, Matthew received film offers that paid him a million dollars; one such role was in “Fools Rush In,” where he starred alongside Salma Hayek. Matthew Perry eventually realized that drowning his pain in addiction was not beneficial and finally sobered up in 2013.
He once expressed, “When I die, I don’t want ‘Friends’ to be the first thing that’s mentioned – I want helping others to be the first thing that’s mentioned.” This quote is featured on his foundation’s website, created in his honor following his passing.
