Instead of making a name for himself on TV shows, Matthew Perry could have risen to fame through sports. Growing up in Canada, the future “Friends” star played tennis and even became a highly ranked player at the junior level in his country before making the switch to acting. Perry’s drive to succeed compelled him to practice his tennis skills for roughly 10 hours each day. However, when Perry moved to Los Angeles at the age of 15, his hopes for a professional tennis career dwindled.
“I thought I was pretty good at tennis, and had actually considered going pro, but then reality hit,” he said in a 1990 interview with the Chicago Sun-Times (via Jae-Ha Kim). “My mom (and stepfather) and I ended up moving to California five years ago. I played against really, really good players there, and there was no way I could’ve made enough to eat as a pro in America. So acting started to look better and better.”
Even after ditching his tennis aspirations, Perry continued to play at celebrity tournaments and showed his love for the sport by spectating at major pro events like the U.S. Open and Wimbledon. Perry also developed a strong affinity for pickleball in his later years, which helped him a lot during his addiction recovery.
How Matthew Perry knew acting was the right career path
Despite his talent on the tennis court, Matthew Perry would later prove even more of a standout in front of the camera. Living in Los Angeles opened the door for a career in show business. In fact, Perry found his desire to enter Hollywood through his father, John Bennett Perry, who was a TV actor himself.
“I was pretty certain I wanted to be an actor, because that was the way I saw my dad,” Perry told Buzzfeed in 2015. “It generated a respect for the business for me: ‘Oh my god, my dad’s on television, that’s so cool.'” Perry took on his first acting gig when he was 10 years old, appearing in a 1979 episode of “240-Robert” alongside his father.
But those who closely followed Perry’s career know that he wanted to be more than a famous sitcom actor. Beyond “Friends,” his beloved character Chandler Bing, and his five Emmy nominations, Perry used his platform to share his struggles with addiction — both during interviews and in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” Now, since Perry’s death at age 54, TV fans continue to remember his talent and desire to help others who face similar difficulties with their mental health.
