Matthew Perry Hoped Zac Efron Would Play His Younger Self In a Biopic After Co-Starring In ‘17 Again’

By Hunter McKenzie
Published Nov. 3, 2023, 4:25 p.m. ET

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It’s one of the most common party questions of all time: who would play you in a movie based on your life? It looks like this question was on the mind of none other than the late, great Matthew Perry, whose tragic death on Oct. 28 shook the world when it was announced last week. 

Athenna Crosby, model and friend to Perry — who was pictured having lunch with him at the Hotel Bel-Air the day before his untimely death — sat down for an interview with Entertainment Tonight to discuss some of the details of her last encounter with the beloved actor.

Crosby shared that Perry had been working on a new film project that would serve as a biopic about his life. He even had an idea about who his dream casting for the younger version of him: Zac Efron.

“He said that he wanted to make a movie about his life,” she said. “He had worked with Zac Efron in the past on a movie, and he said that he wanted Zac Efron to play him as a younger version in an upcoming biopic about him.”

Perry and Efron co-starred in the 2009 comedy film 17 Again, which follows the story of a dissatisfied husband and father (Perry) who becomes his seventeen-year-old self (Efron) again, and gets the chance to relive his glory years and pursue the life he’s always dreamed of having. 

Crosby also shared in the ET interview that Perry was very optimistic about his future, with the resurgence in interest in Perry’s career following his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which recounted his struggles with addiction, as well as the popularity of his hit sitcom Friends in the age of streaming.

Zac Efron and Matthew Perry
Photo: Everett Collection

“He was so looking forward to sharing more about his story and his recovery from addiction and really championing that cause to help more people,” Crosby said.

Even though he is no longer with us, it seems Perry’s dream to touch the lives of those who struggle with addiction will be realized even in his absence.

A foundation has been established in Perry’s name “in the spirit of [his] enduring commitment to helping others struggling with the disease of addiction,” according to the inaugural statement by the Matthew Perry Foundation, per Variety.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357.