Matthew Perry and Luke Perry Were Both Talented Actors — Were They Related?

The Gist:

• Matthew Perry and Luke Perry sadly passed away at 54 and 52, respectively.
• They do not appear to have been related.
• Matthew was born in Massachusetts and grew up in Canada, while Luke came from Ohio, but they both went on to have incredible careers.

Friends star Matthew Perry and Beverly Hills, 90210 alum Luke Perry both sadly passed away in their 50s amid successful careers. The beloved actors are gone far too soon, but fans have continued to keep their memory alive by enjoying their work and remembering their great moments.

Though the two shared a last name, they both came from different places and did not appear to be related in any way. Below, we look at their backgrounds.

Matthew Perry is not related to Luke Perry and vice versa. While the two actors worked in the same industry, they lived different lives.

Born on Oct. 11, 1966, actor Luke Perry was given the name Coy Luther Perry III and grew up in a quiet rural community in Fredericktown, Ohio. His parents' names are Coy Perry Jr. and Ann Perry.

Luke had spoken publicly about his childhood, specifically his relationship with his father, claiming it was tense. He credited his stepfather Steve Bennett who assumed the father figure role in his life and taught him everything he needed to know to be a great man.

In the '90s, Luke would land his first breakout role in the TV drama Beverly Hills, 90210 as Dylan McKay. Later in his career, he was also a part of CW series Riverdale as Archibald "Archie" Andrews' father, Fred Andrews.

In 1993, he married actress Rachel Sharp and had a son and a daughter: Jack and Sophie. The two divorced in 2003.

Tragically, Luke died on Feb. 27, 2019, following a massive stroke.

As for Matthew Perry, the American-Canadian actor grew up in Ottawa, Canada, before moving to Los Angeles. He was born in Williamstown, Mass., on Aug. 19, 1969, to John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Langford. While Matthews was still a baby, he and his mom moved to Ottawa.

During his childhood, he developed passions for tennis and acting and then moved to Los Angeles around 15. Before getting his big break in Friends, Matthew took small roles in programs like Growing Pains, Second Chance, Call Me Anna, and more.

Soon, he nabbed the role of the witty Chandler Bing in the '90s sitcom Friends, one of the most popular sitcoms of all time. Later in his career, Matthew landed roles in films like 17 Again, Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards, The Ron Clark Story, and more.

He released a memoir in 2022 called Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, in which he discussed his life, career, and battles with substance abuse and life-threatening health scares. Sadly, Matthew died on Oct. 28, 2023, of a reported drowning.