The Truth About Keith Morrison And Matthew Perry's Relationship

Although people may have known Matthew Perry as the lovable and sarcastic Chandler Bing from the iconic TV show "Friends," some will be surprised to learn about his connection to the true-crime series, NBC's "Dateline." No, the "17 Again" actor hasn't dabbled in investigative journalism. As it turns out, he had a pretty close link to one of the show's hosts, Keith Morrison. As it turns out, the unlikely duo had family ties.

Despite keeping their relationship under wraps for years, the reporter previously shared some insight into their bond. Morrison called the sitcom star a "very good guy" during an appearance on "Watch What Happens Live" in September 2017. Additionally, the journalist revealed Perry often showered him with lavish gifts, including a Porsche 911. "I still drive it around," he gushed to host Andy Cohen at the time.

Could their relationship have been any more iconic? Keep scrolling for more details on how Perry and Morrison were related, as well as for more insight into their sweet bond.

In case you missed the memo, true crime journalist Keith Morrison is Matthew Perry's stepfather and was a paternal figure in his life since he was a child. Morrison married Perry's mother, Suzanne Marie, in 1981 years after she split from the TV star's biological father, actor John Bennett, when the "Friends" alum was just 1, as the actor noted in a 2004 interview with Katie Couric. Together, Marie and Morrison welcomed four more children: Caitlin, Emily, Will, and Madeleine.

Morrison and his wife raised their blended family raised in Ottawa, Ontario, where the TV personality recognized Perry's star power. However, he never envisioned Perry would amount to the success he'd go on to have, at least "probably not as an actor," as he admitted during his September 2017 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live."

The "Dateline" star elaborated on Perry's special spark in an October 2020 interview with People, stating," 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. He was extremely, extremely good on the tennis court and very intense." Morrison added, "He's an intense, talented, focused character. He's very bright. That was always the case as he was growing up." What a glowing review! 

There's probably a good chance fans want to know what Keith Morrison thinks about his stepson's role on "Friends." He admitted to People that Matthew Perry was perfect for the part of Chandler Bing. "Him being selected for a role like that does not surprise me one bit," the host revealed. "It matched his particular sense of humor precisely, whether they wrote that for him knowing what he was like or whether he adapted it more for himself, probably a combination of the two. But that character is Matthew. Yeah, and it always has been him. He's just a talented soul, a smart guy."

Furthermore, Morrison told People that Perry was quite the family man, and his rowdy brood loved "having him around." The Morrison-Perry fam even supported the actor after he was left bedridden for months in 2018 following a gastrointestinal perforation (ruptured bowel). "We were able to be with him a lot of the time through that, which was I think good for everybody," Morrison shared. "It's awful when people have a serious [illness] and have to have operations and worry about whether or not they're going to make it through. It brings the whole family closer. We all get to be there to pull for him. He's coming through it."

In his 2022 memoir, "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing," Matthew Perry opened up about his mother's marriage to Keith Morrison. In the book, Perry, who lived with Keith and his mom Suzanne Morrison up until the age of 15, admitted to feeling alienated from the rest of the family which had at the time included the couple's kids together. "There was a family growing up around me, a family I didn't really feel part of," he wrote in the book (via The Daily Mail). "However, I was so often on the outside looking in, still that kid up in the clouds on a flight to somewhere else, unaccompanied."

But while Perry might have initially struggled to fit in with his mother's new family, the actor was certain about one thing — Keith's unwavering love for Suzanne. In his memoir, Perry described the "Dateline" host as "a lovely man" who always fearlessly defended his mother. "I can't tell you how many times my mother has done something that I may have taken issue with and I've been told by Keith that it never happened. Some would call this gaslighting, others would call it gaslighting — it's gaslighting. But my family was held together by one man, and that was Keith Morrison," he wrote (via People). And hold down did Keith Morrison, until the very end!

Following the tragic news of Matthew Perry's death, Keith Morrison, alongside his wife Suzanne Morrison arrived at the actor's Los Angeles home where he was found dead on October 28. As reported by Page Six, the couple was also joined by Matthew's father John Bennett Perry as they all seemingly tried to come to terms with their loss. In a now-viral video shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, Keith was seen consoling a distraught John who was seated in a car at the time. 

Though neither Keith nor his wife have yet to release a personal statement, the family put out a joint statement thanking fans for their love and support. "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love," they said in a statement to People.