“Charlie Sheen Breaks Silence: Claims He Could Tell Matthew Perry ‘Wasn’t Sober’ a Year Before Actor’s Tragic Death — and Why He Still Regrets Staying Silent”
The entertainment world is still reeling nearly two years after the tragic passing of Friends icon Matthew Perry, and now fellow Hollywood star Charlie Sheen is making headlines with a bold and deeply personal revelation. In a new interview, Sheen confessed that he believed Perry “wasn’t sober” in the final year before his shocking October 2023 death — and admits he regrets not stepping in when he had the chance.
Perry, beloved worldwide for his role as Chandler Bing, passed away at just 54 years old. His cause of death was later ruled as the “acute effects of ketamine,” according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner. The devastating news rocked fans and celebrities alike, many of whom remembered Perry’s decades-long, very public battle with addiction.
Now, Sheen is shedding new light on what he noticed in Perry’s final chapter. Speaking with Piers Morgan, the former Two and a Half Men star recalled seeing Perry during the promotional tour for his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing. According to Sheen, something about Perry’s demeanor — particularly his speech and physical presence — made him question whether the actor was fully sober.
“It was his diction, his rhythm, the clarity of his voice,” Sheen explained. “I just heard a man who was… handicapped, compromised. And I thought, ‘This isn’t the Matthew I used to know.’”
Sheen’s words carry added weight given his own highly public struggles with substance abuse, public meltdowns, and eventual sobriety. As someone who has walked the same difficult path, Sheen said he felt a tug to reach out to Perry — but ultimately never did.
“I thought about calling him, taking him for coffee,” Sheen admitted. “I didn’t. And I regret that.”
That haunting regret is now sparking an emotional conversation across Hollywood and beyond about how stars — and everyday people — can better support loved ones who may be silently struggling. Perry himself had been open about his battles with alcohol and opioids, revealing in his memoir that he had spent upwards of $9 million on rehab and recovery attempts throughout his life.
In the wake of Sheen’s claims, fans are torn between heartbreak and frustration. Many argue that hindsight always makes the signs seem clearer, while others say Sheen’s honesty might serve as a wake-up call for those ignoring red flags in their own circles.
Perry’s legacy, meanwhile, continues to shine. His memoir became a bestseller, praised for its unflinching honesty about the pain of addiction, recovery, and the pressures of fame. His family has since announced the Matthew Perry Foundation, dedicated to helping others struggling with substance use disorders — an initiative the actor himself had long envisioned.
As for Sheen, his candid admission underscores a painful truth: regret often lingers longer than silence. Whether his instincts were correct or not, his reflections highlight just how invisible — yet destructive — addiction can be, even for those at the very top of their careers.
