Matthew Perry wanted Zac Efron to Play him in a Biopic about his life.
In a tragic turn of events, Perry, the beloved Friends star, passed away at the age of 54 last month. Just before his untimely death, he was seriously considering a biopic about his life. His friend Athenna Crosby, who was photographed with him a day before his passing, revealed that Perry was enthusiastic about exploring his battle with addiction through a feature film.
#MatthewPerry wanted to make a biopic about his life with #ZacEfron in the lead role https://t.co/y0gjclIDqv
— Far Out Cinema (@FarOutCinema) November 7, 2023
Perry had a specific actor in mind to play a younger version of himself in the movie: Efron, known for his role in 17 Again.
Crosby explained that their previous collaboration in that film was the reason behind this choice.
“And he had worked with Zac Efron in the past on a movie, and he said that he wanted Zac Efron to play him as a younger version [of himself] and that he was gonna ask him soon to do that. He was just looking forward to sharing more about his story and his recovery from addiction, and really championing that cause to help more people, so he was so optimistic and happy about everything that he wanted to do.”
Perry was in a positive place before his passing, excited about upcoming projects and a potential resurgence in his career. The loss of Perry has been deeply felt worldwide, and his Friends co-stars remembered him as a positive force.
Crosby told Entertainment Tonight in an interview:
“He was doing great. He is a very funny person, as most people know him to be. He’s goofy, he’s silly. He was cracking jokes the whole time. He was speaking to me about some of the upcoming projects that he wanted to work on. He was very optimistic about the future.
In response to this tragedy, the Matthew Perry Foundation has been established to aid those on the path to recovery from addiction. Perry’s desire to tell his story through a biopic with Efron reflects his commitment to raising awareness about addiction and inspiring hope in others. His legacy lives on through his work and the foundation established in his name.
