PACIFIC PALISADES, LOS ANGELES: ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry, who rose to fame for his role as Chandler Bing, died on Saturday, October 28, 2023. He was 54 years old.
Perry died on Saturday when he was discovered unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times.
Although Matthew had an extensive history of substance abuse problems, sources have told TMZ that no drugs were found at the scene and that foul play is not suspected at this time.
Following the news of Perry’s death, an outpouring of love, tribute, and well-wishes was showered upon social media platforms by fans, friends, and co-stars alike.
However, one tribute that particularly caught people’s eye was from his longtime assistant Briana Brancato who was rumored to have been dating Perry since 2021.
She posted an Instagram story of a snap from Perry’s merch shoot of the two together from 2021, captioned: “Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty”
Who is Briana Brancato?
Briana has been Matthew Perry’s personal assistant since 2015.
After two years of dating his literary manager Molly Hurwitz, Perry broke up with her, and fans and followers speculated that Briana is his new love interest.
Matthew dated Molly starting in 2018. They got engaged in November 2020 but ended things in 2021.
Molly postponed their wedding after Matthew flirted with other women while they were on a break; they later split.
Taking to Instagram, Matthew shared a photo of himself and his assistant snuggled up on a sofa while promoting his line of hoodies.
He tagged his personal assistant, Briana Brancato, in the photo. They were smiling at the camera while sitting side by side.
Briana, who manages Perry's day-to-day schedule, posted a picture on her Instagram where the actor was seen leaning towards her.
Fans speculated that Briana and Molly look quite alike, leading to the dating rumors.
Briana, his assistant, referred to him as "her boss" in her caption, despite any rumors and speculation.
Matthew’s colorful dating history
During his 30-plus years in the entertainment industry, Perry had several high-profile romantic relationships, including Julia Roberts, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lizzy Caplan, and Cameron Diaz.
Perry wrote about his past girlfriends, including Hollywood's biggest names, in his 2022 memoir 'Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing'.
In his memoir, Perry disclosed a secret make-out session he had with Valerie Bertinelli while her late husband Eddie Van Halen was passed out nearby. Despite having strong feelings for his former 'Sydney' co-star, Perry and Bertinelli never officially dated.
When Perry was 18 years old, he began dating Tricia Fisher, who was the half-sister of the late Carrie Fisher. This was around the time when filming for 'A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon' had just wrapped up.
He explained that their relationship quickly progressed from an emotional connection to a physical one. Despite Tricia's eagerness to take things further, Perry decided to wait. Although they broke up for some time, they ended up getting back together later in life.
Perry mentioned that they dated again during the peak of 'Friends' but old fears caused him to end the relationship although, Tricia did not abandon him.
In his memoir, Perry reveals past flings, including a brief make-out session with Gwyneth Paltrow in a closet before 'Friends' debuted in 1994.
During the filming of an episode of Friends, Julia Roberts became Perry's first high-profile girlfriend.
According to Perry's memoir, Roberts was thrilled to be part of his character's storyline and agreed to guest star on the show.
The two dated for a few months before Perry ended the relationship, which came as a surprise to Julia, at the time.
Perry revealed in his memoir that he struggled with the relationship and constantly feared that Roberts would break up with him. He felt that he was not good enough for her and was broken and unlovable.
In his memoir, Perry briefly discusses his relationship with 'Veep' producer Gabrielle Allan, whom he referred to as Gaby, while reflecting on a period in his life when he realized alcohol was starting to get a hold of him.
Perry revealed in his memoir about his previous relationship with Jamie Tarses who has since passed away. They first met in 1994, before Perry was cast in 'Friends', and started dating after Tarses got divorced from her then-husband, Fox TV producer Dan McDermott. They were in a relationship for several years.
Matthew valued his relationship with Jaime whom he described as magical, beautiful, and smart. She supported him through his struggles with substance abuse, which ultimately led to their breakup
"I need time to process being sober," Perry remembered saying during their breakup.
Perry and Rachel Dunn, his former girlfriend and a fashion student, were together for two years before their breakup in 2005. In his memoir, Perry referred to her as "the ex-girlfriend of his dreams." They ended their relationship around the time 'Friends' came to an end.
In his memoir, Perry mentioned his romantic involvement with Natasha Wagner, who is the daughter of Natalie Wood and Richard Gregson. He described her as stunning, intelligent, compassionate, and alluring. He went as far as to say that she was the epitome of perfection with all her qualities combined.
Perry shared a story about a group dinner where he was set up with Cameron Diaz shortly after her breakup with Justin Timberlake.
Perry had a long-lasting relationship with Lizzy Caplan, who is known for her role in 'Mean Girls'. The couple kept their relationship private when they were dating. Although Perry did not mention Caplan's name in his memoir, he revealed that their romance started as a "friends with benefits" situation. They were together for six years and almost got engaged before separating in 2012.
In his writing, he expressed that his separation from Lizzy still troubles him to this day. He wrote that all his fears rose like a snake and he often wonders if he had proposed to her, they would now have a home and two children. Instead, he finds himself feeling like a loser who is living alone in his house at the age of fifty-three.
In 2018, Perry started dating Molly Hurwitz, a literary manager.
In November 2020, Perry proposed to her after being together for two years. Despite being a celebrity couple, they kept their relationship private.
However, six months later, Perry asked Hurwitz to marry him again while he was in rehab in Switzerland. Unfortunately, their relationship ended for good in June 2021. Perry announced the separation and wished Hurwitz all the best, saying, "Sometimes things just don't work out, and this is one of them."
