'I spent $9 million to get sober': Matthew Perry
'Friends' actor Matthew Perry earlier opened up about his near-death addiction to drugs
October 24, 2022
Matthew Perry revealed spending $9 million to get sober, per the actor's New York Times interview.
During the interview, the Friends star opened up, shelling out nearly a seven-figure sum for his road to sobriety.
"I've probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober," Perry said. The actor was also said to celebrate 18 months of sobriety, signalling the 53-year-old was newly sober for the Friends reunion special, which aired in May 2021.
Earlier, Perry opened up to PEOPLE about the upcoming memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing and his long journey to give up drugs and alcohol, explaining that "everything starts with sobriety."
"Because if you don't have sobriety, you're going to lose everything that you put in front of it, so my sobriety is right up there," Perry said. "I'm an extremely grateful guy. I'm grateful to be alive, that's for sure. And that gives me the possibility to do anything."
The 17 Again actor revealed that he had a near-death experience after his colon burst, spurring him to get sober.
"My therapist said, 'The next time you think about taking OxyContin, just think about having a colostomy bag for the rest of your life,'" he explained. "And a little window opened, and I crawled through it, and I no longer want OxyContin."
