A Look at Matthew Perry’s Relationship With His Mom Suzanne Morrison

In a heartbreaking turn of events on October 28, the world bid farewell to the beloved Friends star, Matthew Perry. As the news spread like wildfire, Perry’s family, including his father, stepfather, and his mother, Suzanne Morrison, rushed to the scene, their faces reflecting the somber reality of the situation.

Suzanne Morrison, a former media secretary of the ex-Prime Minister of Canada, Pierre Trudeau, had an indelible impression on Perry. The actor’s memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing , spilled the beans about Perry’s childhood and relationship with his mom in his growing years. Perry candidly shared his sentiments about Morrison’s job, one that often took precious time away from their relationship. Recalling his favorite moment with her, he wrote, “That is my absolute favorite childhood memory—sitting with my mom and watching that movie. But now the prime minister of Canada was calling, so I was about to lose my mom again. As she took the call, I heard her turn on her professional, spinmeister-y voice—the voice of a different person, Suzanne Perry, in fact, not my mom.”

The autobiography revealed that he came across as a “latchkey kid” after the separation of his parents, as it had a huge impact on him. He had confessed to feeling lonely while his mom was busy tying all the loose ends and raising him with immense dedication to work. Perry would, however, acknowledge that and often attempt to make her happy around him by cracking jokes.

In his memoir, Perry acknowledged his struggles and the onset of his “bad behavior,” as he had several conflicts within. “There was a family growing up around me, a family I didn’t really feel part of… That’s when the bad behavior started,” he said in an interview wit h Page Six . Caitlin and Emily were his sisters, who not only brought him joy but also a sense of feeling safe in the dynamics of the family. However, he remained isolated and lost in his thoughts, which kept him at a distance from his family. Recalling a pivotal moment from his childhood, Perry recounted the fear he felt during a solo flight at the tender age of 5, sent by his mother to visit his father. This early connection between safety and the view of the ocean or city lights became a recurring theme in Perry’s life.

In a 2022 interview with People magazine, the Friends star delved into the vulnerability and disclosed, “I was so often on the outside looking in, still that kid up in the clouds on a flight to somewhere else, unaccompanied,” as he shared how his mom would send him off on planes to meet his dad when he was just 5 years old.