Matthew Perry spent about $9M to get sober

Matthew Perry throwbacks to his struggle to achieve sobriety.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Matthew Perry said that he literally spent a lot on his sobriety.

In a Sunday interview to promote the imminent publication of his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, the 53-year-old Friends star mentioned the rumored seven-figure sum he's spent on his journey to sobriety.

"I've probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober," Perry revealed.

The actor also mentioned that he had just celebrated 18 months of sobriety, so it's possible that he had only recently become sober for the well-liked Friends reunion special that aired in May 2021.

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Perry talked openly about the new book and his long-term struggle to abstain from drugs and alcohol, saying that "everything starts with sobriety."

Perry disclosed that his colon ruptured, causing a five-month hospital stay, a colostomy bag, and a near-death experience. He finally became sober as a result of the terrifying experience.

The Golden Globe nominee also expressed gratitude to his Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc for being there for him during his darkest moments. 

He recalled that during the popular NBC sitcom's 10-season run from 1994 to 2004 when he played fan favorite Chandler Bing, he was taking 55 Vicodin per day and weighed 128 pounds at one point.

"They were understanding, and they were patient," Perry recalled. "It's like penguins. In nature, when one is sick or very injured, the other penguins surround it and prop it up and walk around until that penguin can walk on its own. And that's kind of what the cast did for me."