Matthew Perry made several strange social media posts referencing Batman in his final days, referring to himself as “Mattman.”
Perry died on Saturday aged 54. His body was reportedly found in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home at around 4pm local time. Celebrity site TMZ said his assistant returned home after running errands to find the star unresponsive in the water.
According to Deadline, an initial coroner’s report has been carried out but the exact cause of death was not determined.
Further investigations have been requested, including a toxicology report, before a determination will be made.
No illegal drugs were found at Perry’s Pacific Palisades property, but the authorities did find antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs, TMZ reported.
The Massachusetts-born star battled substance abuse for decades - speaking about his issues with drugs and alcohol in his 2022 book “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir”.
On Monday, the star’s recent social media posts were causing concern amongst fans. In the days before his passing, Perry posted seven times with allusions to comic hero Batman.
In the past, Perry said he felt a connection to the comic book hero - a wealthy but damaged man who use his grief at losing his parents as a child into helping others.
Perry said he felt he too was helping others by speaking out about his struggles with addiction.
In one recent Instagram post, he wrote: “Sleep well everybody, I've got the city tonight - Mattman” under a picture of Batman’s logo illuminated in red lights.
Under a pumpkin carved with the Batman logo, he wrote: “Do you know what I mean?” and under footage of the moon he wrote: “Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you? - I'm Mattman.”
Then, in a picture of himself in a hot tub wearing headphones - posted one week before his death - he added: “Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I'm Mattman.”
Some fans have since expressed concern over the strange posts, suggesting - in light of his death - they were perhaps a cry for help.
Meanwhile, a friend of Perry's told People Magazine that the actor was “incredibly happy” in the days leading up to his death - adding the Mattman posts were just Perry “having fun.”
Tributes have been pouring for Perry - with his family saying they were “heartbroken” at his loss.
In a statement to US publication People, Perry’s family said of the actors death: “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother.
“Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.”
They added: “You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”
Perry’s body was found in a hot tub at his home, according to unnamed sources cited by the Los Angeles Times and celebrity website TMZ, which was the first to report the news.
In a joint statement Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin Bright, described their shock.
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” they said.
“We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment – not just to his work, but in life as well.
“He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.”
They added: “This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”
Celebrities have been paying their respects to the actor with American actress Gwyneth Paltrow remembering Perry as the young man she had met in the summer of 1993.
The Sliding Doors star, 51, posted to her Instagram page and said: “I met Matthew Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts.
“We were both there for most of the summer doing plays. He was so funny and so sweet and so much fun to be with.
“We drove out to swim in creeks, had beers in the local college bar, kissed in a field of long grass.
“It was a magical summer. He had shot the pilot of Friends but it had not aired yet.
“He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was.
“We stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart, but I was always happy to see him when I did.
“I am super sad today, as so many of us are. I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.”
Meanwhile, fans have been leaving floral tributes, cards and even figures of Batman outside the Manhattan apartment and tourist hotspot that served as an external shot in Friends.
Tributes have also been left outside of Perry’s Los Angeles home.
Perry, who starred in Friends with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow, gained worldwide success for playing Chandler Bing and was nominated for an Emmy in 2002.
The main cast are yet to speak publicly about his death, with many experts predicting they are working on a special joint statement.
