Matthew Perry's sister reveals he paid $7 million trying to get sober before death

Matthew Perry’s sister has made the bombshell admission about just how much money he allegedly paid to remain drug and alcohol free prior to his tragic passing in a new documentary about the star’s life.

The One About Matthew Perry is a brand-new look into the life of the Friends star, who sadly passed away at age 54 in his Los Angeles home in October 2023.

The cause of death was listed as being due to the acute effects of ketamine and contributed by drowning, coronary artery disease, and the effects of buprenorphine after he was found unresponsive in his pool.

The BBC reported that prosecutors said his personal assistant and two doctors provided the actor with over $50,000 of ketamine in the weeks leading to his death.

His assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, 60, has been sentenced to 41 months in prison in connection with his death.

In light of the major details about the case, and Perry’s public struggles with his sobriety, Netflix is releasing a documentary about the actor’s legacy on October 27, 2026.

There, his sister Mia, shed light on how hard he tried to get sober throughout his fame.

“All great stories have comedy and tragedy in them, and that certainly was Matthew’s story,” Bowick says in a trailer for the doc.

“My brother would talk about that feeling of emptiness or loneliness that he couldn’t quite fill,” Bowick said. “He spent $7 million trying to get sober. That’s how seriously he took his disease.”

Perry was long known to be open about his problems with drugs, even going on to note that he didn't remember a large portion of filming Friends due to being under the influence.

In the doc, a talk show clip revealed that Perry was desperate to become famous, but fame came with a price.

“I said, ‘God, you can do anything you want to me. Just please make me famous,’” the actor said before he later 'got a phone call and instantly knew my whole life was gonna change.'

Perry then warned: “But God did not forget the other part.”

Perry passed away in 2023 (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images)

Bowick previously spoke about taking part in the tell-all, with Entertainment Weekly reporting her as saying she was 'ready to share these memories and what it was like to love Matthew through all the complexity of his life.'

She continued, per the outlet: “As his sister, he shaped who I am today, the person I strive to be, and the work to which I’ve devoted my life. Matthew had a beautiful heart and a generous spirit, and even in his darkest moments, he could still make you laugh and feel loved. I hope this series gives everyone who loved him, whether personally or from afar, a deeper appreciation for who he truly was, and the legacy he leaves behind.”

She also recounted in the documentary that making people laugh is what helped him, and in turn, he helped others with his physical comedy style and even his ventures away from acting, such as his rehabilitation programme to facilitate sobriety for other addicts.

With interviews with famous faces and friends of Perry's from childhood onwards, it looks like it'll be an emotional watch for all involved.