LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'Friends' actor Matthew Perry, who is known for playing the clever and sarcastic Chandler Bing, has had a connection to the entertainment industry much before he joined it himself. And it was through both his father and stepfather.

The actor recently passed away in a shocking case of drowning at the age of 54. Matthew has previously opened up much about his struggles with substance abuse which greatly affected his mental health as well. But added to that was his parents' separation at a very young age.

Who are Matthew Perry's parents?

Matthew was not the first in line to try a hand at Hollywood. His father John Bennett Perry was an actor himself. Hailing from Massachusetts, he not only appeared on the big screen but also did theater, with Off-Broadway musicals like 'Now is the Time for All Good Men'.

John went on to marry Suzanne Langford, whose homeland was Canada. Their marriage was cut short, lasting only for two years after Matthew had not even reached his first birthday. While their small family was residing in John's hometown, Williamstown, after the couple's separation, Suzanne moved back to Canada along with her son.

While John went on to pursue his acting career in the city of Los Angeles, back in her own country, Suzanne's career thrived as she became the press secretary for the then-Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.

John might not have gotten a major break like his son did through the popular sitcom 'Friends', but he was able to bag some big projects right after his separation from Suzanne. He appeared in films like 'Independence Day', 'George of the Jungle' and 'Farewell to the King'. John also did TV shows like 'Falcom Crest' and 'Magnum P.I.' while later also joining his son's sitcom for a cameo.

Almost a decade later, Suzanne tied the knot with the popular true crime personality Keith Morrison who is known for his iconic anchoring at NBC's 'Dateline'.

Matthew Perry's relationship with stepfather Keith Morrisson

Not much is known about Matthew and Keith's relationship. However, they were definitely close to each other and their past did not become a hindrance in their relationship.

The 'Dateline' star opened up about this in a People interview, giving insight into their special bond ever since Matthew was young.

"He's one of those people who always is the center of the room for a reason and it was so as a kid," Keith said.

He also revealed bits of what the actor was like in school and said, "On the hockey team, I used to take him off to his hockey games on Saturday mornings. It was like Matthew and the hockey team. He was the one who scored all the goals. He was the guy. The same on the tennis court."

Keith continued showering his stepson with praises saying, "He was extremely, extremely good on the tennis court and very intense. He's an intense, talented, focused character. He's very bright. That was always the case as he was growing up."