Morgan Fairchild reflects on her TV son, Matthew Perry, on the one-year anniversary of his death. Fairchild, who portrayed the mother of Perry’s iconic character Chandler Bing on “Friends,” shared her memories with The Post ahead of the official one-year mark of Perry’s passing. “I’ve been thinking about it a lot,” Fairchild told The Post. “Matthew was a terrific young man. The Matthew I remember was always joyful and full of energy. His presence in the room was always uplifting.”

Fairchild made her mark on the first season of “Friends” as Nora Bing, Chandler’s flamboyant romance novelist mother, who often embarrassed her son. She recalled that when she joined the show, “Friends” was not yet the massive hit it would become. Fairchild’s friend and “Dallas” co-star, Cicely Tyson, even advised her against taking the role, saying, “You’re too young to play that guy’s mother!” Fairchild responded, “You have to make that transition at some point. I think the show has potential.”

As it turned out, Fairchild had already met “that guy.” On her first day on set, Matthew Perry approached her enthusiastically, saying, “You won’t remember me, but you used to hang out with me on ‘Flamingo Road’ and ‘Falcon Crest.’” Perry’s father, John Bennett Perry, starred in both 80s series alongside Fairchild and often brought young Matthew to work with him. “Oh my god! You’re that kid,” she recalled telling the star. This moment confirmed her belief that she had made the right decision.

After NBC promoted Fairchild’s appearance on “Friends,” the show saw a ratings boost, for which Perry thanked her in a memorable way. “I ran into the two Matthews – Perry and [Matt] LeBlanc – at a Blockbuster or something, and they did a ‘sandwich,’” she said with a laugh, explaining how the two men hugged her simultaneously with her in the middle. She remembered them shouting, “You got us in the top five!”

When asked what she remembers most about Perry, Fairchild didn’t hesitate: “His wonderful comic timing. He was always fun to work with. He was very creative and never resorted to doing the same old stuff, even when he was that successful.” Fairchild appeared in four more episodes of “Friends” over its 10-year run, including at Chandler and Monica’s [Courteney Cox] wedding. “Years later, when it came time to do the rehearsal dinner and the wedding, it was so great to see him again,” she said.

Reflecting on Perry’s passing, Fairchild was emotional. “Such a waste. Such a lovely human being. Such a sweet man,” she said. “I just always hold on to those earlier memories.” She added that she often thinks about, “What could’ve been, should’ve been. The career, the life he should still be having.”

Fairchild was among many who remembered the late star on the anniversary of his death. His “Friends” co-star Jennifer Aniston took to Instagram to commemorate Perry’s passing. “1 year,” she wrote, adding a bandaged heart emoji and a dove emoji in the caption to a series of photos of the late actor. Others who worked with him also shared fond memories of the actor.

Perry’s family also marked the anniversary with remembrances of Matthew. “[To light up a room is] something you’re born with or you’re not born with. And he was certainly born with it in spades,” Perry’s step-dad and “Dateline” host Keith Morrison, 77, said about his stepson on “TODAY.” Perry’s mother, Suzanne, and his sisters, Emily, Caitlin, and Madeline, also appeared on the program. “But it must be said, I think, that he was also very lonely in his soul,” Suzanne contributed. “I’m a very lucky woman, but there was one glitch. There was one problem that I couldn’t conquer. I couldn’t help him.”

Perry passed away on Oct. 28, 2023, from a ketamine overdose. He was 54. A criminal investigation led federal prosecutors to charge five individuals in connection with his death, accusing them of taking advantage of Perry’s addiction and illegally helping him obtain ketamine that led to his death. Three of those charged have taken plea deals and are cooperating with the government. Two others have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.

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