When I was writing The Heart of Annie, I wanted my leading man, Curtis, to resemble Matt Perry — smart, funny, self-effacing, and ever the man-child. So while writing that novel I watched way way too many interviews and shows of him, especially Studio 60, trying to capture the rat-tat-tat of the barbs he and Bradley Whitford would trade…trying to harness for myself their perfect timing. At the end of this deep dive, I had a decent character in Curtis, some pretty good dialogue on the page, and sense of real sadness for Curtis’ archetype.
Man, so much talent and so many demons. Matthew did great work with helping to expand the use and reach of drug courts and trying to help other addicts in their own recovery, all the while dealing with his own painful struggle. And his addiction in particular was a cautionary tale because it wasn’t a forgone Hollywood tragedy - he only developed it after being prescribed pain pills after a jet ski accident. That small act hooked him and from then on the struggle took hold. Despite this though, he was still able to entertain us so magically- the Friends blackout episode with Jill Goodacre is still one of my all time favorites. So rest well, Mr. Perry… thank you for the inspiration in my own creative work and all the great laughs. And I do hope that now you’ve unloaded your burden and finally have found some peace.