It was reported earlier today by several sources that Matthew Perry, the instantly recognisable star of Friends and the lesser-known actor behind the dastardly ‘Benny’ in Fallout: New Vegas, has passed away, aged 54. Reportedly, Perry was found dead at his Pacific Palisades home in Los Angeles – law enforcement has confirmed no foul play but the cause of death is yet to be confirmed, but early reports suggest he drowned.
Remembering Matthew
From 1994 to 2004, Matthew Perry starred in a leading role in Friends, one of the most popular sitcoms of all time which spanned a massive ten seasons. Following Friends, he appeared in some more minor movie and television roles but didn’t headline anything notable from then on – but that didn’t impact his profile, such was the success of Friends.
In 2010, he voiced the notorious antagonist, ‘Benny’ in Fallout: New Vegas, a character who sets the wheels of the entire game in motion by attempting to eliminate the protagonist, The Courier, in the opening sequence. Reportedly, Perry was a huge Fallout fan and was cast for the role of Benny after (somewhat bizarrely) presenting Ellen Degeneres with a copy of Fallout 3 on The Ellen Degeneres Show, stating that he’d injured his hand ‘after playing it so much’.
Here’s the scene from the show – he gifted Ellen a signed copy of the game along with an Xbox 360 console:
Fellow actors and friends of Matthew Perry have taken to social media to share tributes to the late actor, reminiscing about their time on stage or screen with him. It’s clear that millions are being impacted by the loss of Perry, who will forever be memorialised by the productions he starred in.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out our recent story about who dropped the bombs first in Fallout
