Matthew Perry tragically died on October 28, leaving questions about what happens to his estate and his millions of “friends.”
Los Angeles entertainment attorney Tre Lovell told The Post that in the event of a death like Perry’s, there are three options that could happen.
“There may be a trust, and that would be administered privately, through its trustee. He could have made a will, which would be administered under [probate] judicial supervision. If you did not have either of the two things, there is an established legal framework, where there is a list of your heirs who would keep your assets.”
Lovell added that if the third option is given, since Perry had no wife or children and his parents are still alive, “they would divide his estate. Her siblings would be next in line, after her parents. But since his parents are alive, they would receive him,” he explained.
Perry, and her “Friends” co-stars, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer, reportedly make $20 million a year in residuals. The beloved NBC comedy ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.
Perry, who struggled with addiction and sobriety for years, died from an apparent drowning in a hot tub at his home in the upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Matthew Perry (from left) as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Courteney Cox as Monica Geller, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani and Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay in “Friends.” NBC via Getty Images Perry before his tragic and unexpected death. Representa.com/MEGA
She is survived by a large family: her father, actor John Bennett Perry, 82, her mother Suzanne, 75, her famous stepfather, Keith Morrison of “Dateline,” 76, and her five half-siblings: Caitlin, Emily, Will and Madeline Morrison. (who are Suzanne’s children with Keith) and Maria Perry (who is John Bennett Perry’s daughter with his second wife, Debbie Boyle).
Law enforcement sources told TMZ that investigators performed a less in-depth toxicology test on the actor that revealed Perry had no fentanyl or methamphetamines in his system at the time of his death.
Further testing is currently being performed as part of the toxicology report. It can take months to establish an official cause of death, which is still “deferred.”
Aniston (from left), Cox, Perry, Kudrow, Schwimmer and LeBlanc during a taping of the “Friends: The Reunion” special in 2021. AP Perry opened up about her struggle with addiction in her 2022 memoir. AP
Perry’s friend Athenna Crosby, 25, who was one of the last people to see the “Friends” star before his death – while the duo had dinner together just a day before the tragedy – has insisted that did not relapse.
“I think people are speculating that it was a relapse situation. I just want to defend him and say it wasn’t like that,” she said, adding that he was “100% sober” and behaved in a “completely normal” manner during lunch.
LeBlanc (left) and Perry as Joey and Chandler on “Friends.” Warner Bros. Schwimmer (from left), Aniston, Cox, Perry, Kudrow and LeBlanc. The cast reportedly earned $20 million a year in residuals. fake images
Lovell told The Post that if there is a trust, that information may not be made public because it is private.
“I would be surprised if there wasn’t some type of estate planning. He is a famous actor, he has business managers, agents, lawyers,” he said.
As for “Friends” residuals from distribution and streaming, through SAG-AFTRA, “you can designate who it can go to,” Lovell said.
“So, that can be independent of any trust or will. So, there is a chance that he wrote on someone. [to receive that money after his death]. But we just don’t know.”
Perry (far right) could have directed his considerable “Friends” salary to an addiction charity in the event of his death. NBCUniversal via Getty Images Schwimmer (left) and Perry as Ross and Chandler on “Friends.” Courtesy of the Everett Collection
If Perry “wrote on someone,” it could be a charity, Lovell explained.
The Canadian actor, who estimated he spent $9 million over the years to get sober, finally achieved sobriety before his death.
He also formed Perry House in 2013 at his former Malibu residence, which was a sober living center for men that operated for two years.
Perry (far right) left no wife or children, so his money will likely go to his parents and perhaps addiction recovery charities, entertainment attorney Tre Lovell told The Post. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection The Matthew Perry Foundation is being established to help people struggling with substance abuse. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection
On Friday, friends close to the late “Friends” star announced they will establish the Matthew Perry Foundation to help those struggling with substance abuse.
“The Matthew Perry Foundation is the embodiment of Matthew’s long-standing commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction,” officials said in a statement to “Entertainment Tonight.”
“It will honor his legacy and be guided by his own words and experiences and driven by his passion to make a difference in as many lives as possible.”
Lovell noted that since “recovery was a big part of his life, there is a lot of speculation that if he designated someone to receive the assets, it could be some kind of charity or [addiction] recovery organization.
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