Inside Matthew Perry’s ‘desperate’ trip to Australia to pitch himself as a movie star after the final episode of Friends – as rumours swirled his drug problem was spiralling out of control

Matthew Perry was surprisingly spotted at Bondi just weeks after Friends wrapped as he was reportedly struggling with addiction issues.

The Friends star, known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing on the NBC series, died Saturday in an apparent drowning accident at his Los Angeles home.

The 54-year-old was found unconscious in a jacuzzi by an assistant.

Mr. Perry has made no secret of his long struggle with substance abuse problems, opening up about a decades-long addiction to drugs and alcohol in his 2022 memoir.

The actor was reportedly struggling with addiction when he came to Australia in 2004 to cast himself as the lead in a romantic comedy that never materialized.

Perry is pictured with actor David Schwimmer (left) at the Friends reunion

The actor was reportedly struggling with his addiction when he took a whirlwind trip to Australia in 2004 to pitch himself for a film.

Mr Perry was spotted at Bondi Icebergs to meet director Chris Noonan just weeks after the final episode of Friends was filmed.

The Australian director behind the Oscar-nominated Babe film said Perry was “desperate” for a role in a romantic comedy that never materialized.

‘He wants to be a film actor and has been in a few films, but nothing that stood out. He really wants a good movie role,” Noonan said at the time.

‘He’s a great guy. He read this script and just had to come and pitch for it.”

According to reports, Mr Perry spent most of his time in Bondi.

He was seen in town having dinner with friends before picking up Guy Sebastian and Shannon Noll’s CDs and heading home a few days later.

The beloved sitcom Friends turned its stars into household names

According to the reports, Mr Perry spent most of his time in Bondi while in Australia

However, rumors circulated at home that he was in the grips of his addiction and turned to drinking and smoking marijuana.

“I have all this money, nice cars and beautiful girlfriends, but it didn’t make me happy,” he reportedly said at the time.

‘I used to go to the mini market to get coffee and the gas station attendant seemed happier than me.

“I thought to myself, ‘How can this man be happier? Doesn’t he know how big my house is?’

“Next thing you know, I had a margarita in my hand and I was buying some drugs.”

It is not believed Mr Perry returned to Australia before his sudden death almost 20 years later.

Tributes have poured in for the beloved actor, with Maggie Wheeler, who played his character Janice’s hated girlfriend, posting a tribute on Instagram.

‘What a loss. The world will miss you, Matthew Perry,” she wrote.

“The joy you brought to so many in your all-too-short life will live on. I feel so blessed by every creative moment we shared.”

Selma Blair also posted a tribute to her “oldest friend.”

“We all loved Matthew Perry, especially me. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I’m broken. Broken heart. Sweet dreams, Matty. Sweet dreams,” she wrote.

Stars from Mr Perry’s most recent work, who played Oscar Madison in The Odd Couple, also shared their tributes.

“Our #OddCouple family suffered a great loss today. The entire entertainment world has that. I’m too sad about the news to say more than this,” Yvette Nicole Brown tweeted.