Athenna Crosby, one of the last people to speak with Matthew Perry before his death, revealed in a recent interview with ET that the beloved “Friends” star was planning a biopic and wanted Zac Efron to play him.
Matthew Perry Was Planning a Biopic
“He was just looking forward to sharing more about his story and his recovery from addiction,” Crosby said.
Perry and Efron previously worked together in the 2009 comedy “17 Again.” In 2022, Perry also revealed that he had asked Efron to star in a rom-com he had written.
It’s unclear how far along Perry was in the development of the biopic, but it’s clear that he was passionate about sharing his story. Crosby’s comments suggest that the film would have focused on Perry’s struggles with addiction and his recovery.
Perry was open about his struggles with addiction throughout his career. In a 2021 interview with People magazine, he said that he had been sober for 18 months at the time.
“I had a lot of ups and downs in my life and a lot of wonderful experiences,” Perry said in the interview. “But the drug and alcohol thing just got the better of me.”
Perry’s death was a shock to many of his fans and friends. He was just 51 years old. But his legacy will live on in his work, including his performances on “Friends” and his advocacy for addiction recovery.
It’s also possible that Perry’s biopic will still be made, even without him. If so, Efron would be a great choice to play him. He’s a talented actor who has the physical resemblance and charisma to capture Perry’s essence.
But no matter who plays him, a biopic about Matthew Perry would be a fascinating and inspiring story. It would be a story about overcoming adversity and finding redemption.
