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Who Is Mattman? Matthew Perry’s Alter Ego Prior to His Death Stemmed From Childhood ‘Batman’ Obsession
Fans began looking for clues into Matthew Perry’s untimely death at the age of 54, with many pointing to his unusual obsession with Batman as a possible cry for help. Matty began referring to himself as Mattman in the last months of his life, but fans are wondering where the alter ego came from.
Who Is Mattman?
In his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Matt opened up about his love of the fictional superhero, revealing that it all began when he was a child.
“My dad was my hero. In fact, he was my superhero: whenever we would go for walks, I would say, ‘You be Superman and I’ll be Batman,’” he wrote of his dad, John Bennett Perry. He later equated Batman’s rise to his addiction to drugs and alcohol. “I am Batman,” he wrote after detailing his near-death experience after his colon ruptured in 2019.
The final chapter in his memoir was titled “Batman” as he concluded, “When whatever happens, just think, What would Batman do? and do that.”
He later described the similarities between himself and Bruce Wayne, telling GQ, “Well, he’s a rich loner. We both drive black, cool cars. I don’t solve crime, but I’ve saved people’s lives.”
Similar to Batman, Matty also had his own “Matt cave,” a.k.a. a room in his Pacific Palisades home dedicated to his infatuation.
In the weeks leading up to his death, the Friends actor shared multiple photos depicting his obsession, including a snap of his “Matt cave” complete with three TV screens showing Batman and the Bat-Signal on the ceiling.
“No need to worry everybody, I’ve got the streets tonight,” he captioned the short clip on October 17. He also renovated his backyard, adding an infinite pool with a similar Bat-Signal at the bottom. “Sleep well everybody, I’ve got the city tonight -Mattman,” he captioned a photo of the pool two days later.
While fans have shown their concern over his cryptic posts, Athenna Crosby, a friend of Matty’s whom he had lunch with the day prior to his death, told TMZ that he was simply “a little bit nerdy.”
“He was really goofy and playful,” she added, calling the rumors “completely false.”
How Did Matthew Perry Die?
The Fools Rush In star died of an apparent drowning in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on October 28. His cause of death has been “deferred” pending toxicology results, though initial reports determined that he did not have meth or fentanyl in his system and no illegal drugs were found at the scene.
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