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The Tragic Six-Month Romance: How Long Did Matthew Perry And Julia Roberts Date And Why Did It End?

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The whirlwind romance between Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts remains one of Hollywood's most intriguing and heartbreaking secret relationships. As of the current date, December 20, 2025, new details continue to surface, largely due to Perry's candid revelations in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing. Their high-profile, yet intensely private, relationship lasted for a surprisingly short period, but its impact on the late actor's life was profound.

The two stars, at the height of their fame, shared a passionate connection that began in the most delightfully retro way: a three-month-long courtship conducted entirely via fax. While the public only saw their on-screen chemistry during Roberts’ iconic guest appearance on Friends, their real-life love story was a brief, intense flame that ultimately sputtered out due to Perry's personal struggles.

Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts: A Brief Biography of Two Icons

The relationship between Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts was a true 90s crossover event, marrying the star of the biggest sitcom in the world with the undisputed "America's Sweetheart."

Matthew Perry (1969–2023)

  • Full Name: Matthew Langford Perry
  • Born: August 19, 1969, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, U.S.
  • Died: October 28, 2023, in Los Angeles, California, U.S.
  • Occupation: Actor, Producer, Comedian, Writer.
  • Known For: Playing Chandler Bing on the NBC sitcom Friends (1994–2004).
  • Other Works: Films like Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards, and 17 Again.
  • Memoir: Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing (2022).
  • Parents: Suzanne Morrison (journalist, former press secretary to Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau) and John Bennett Perry (actor).

Julia Roberts (1967–Present)

  • Full Name: Julia Fiona Roberts
  • Born: October 28, 1967, in Smyrna, Georgia, U.S.
  • Occupation: Actress, Producer.
  • Known For: Her breakthrough role in Pretty Woman (1990) and her Academy Award-winning performance in Erin Brockovich (2000).
  • Other Works: Mystic Pizza, Steel Magnolias, Notting Hill, and Ocean's Eleven.
  • Current Status: Married to cinematographer Daniel Moder since 2002.
  • Accolades: One Academy Award, three Golden Globe Awards, and a British Academy Film Award.

The Precise Timeline: They Dated for Six Months in 1996

The answer to the central question—how long did Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts date—is approximately six months. This intense, yet fleeting, relationship took place between late 1995 and early 1996. The short duration belies the depth of their connection, a story that began with a unique, old-school form of communication.

The Fax-Fueled Courtship

The romance was sparked by Roberts’ agreement to guest star in the second season of Friends. The episode, "The One After the Super Bowl," aired in January 1996 and remains one of the show's highest-rated episodes. To convince Roberts to take the role, Perry was reportedly asked to write a paper on quantum physics. He jokingly agreed, but instead, the two stars began exchanging a flurry of sweet, flirtatious, and intellectual faxes.

Perry described the process in his memoir, revealing that they would send hundreds of faxes back and forth every day. This three-month "courtship" via fax was a romantic, secretive prelude to their physical relationship. By the time Roberts arrived in Los Angeles to film her role as Susie Moss, a childhood acquaintance of Chandler Bing, they were already a couple.

The Peak of the Romance

The six-month relationship was a period of intense happiness for Perry. He described Roberts as "America's Sweetheart" and recounted how she would travel to the set of Friends to be with him. The relationship was high-profile, with the pair attending events and becoming a paparazzi favorite. For a brief period in 1996, Matthew Perry, the star of a hit TV show, was dating one of the biggest movie stars in the world. This sudden leap into a celebrity power couple status was thrilling, yet ultimately daunting, for Perry.

Why Matthew Perry Broke Up With Julia Roberts: A Heartbreaking Revelation

The most compelling, and saddest, part of their story is the reason the relationship ended so abruptly after only six months. In his memoir, Perry confessed that he was the one who broke up with Roberts.

The Struggle with Self-Worth and Addiction

Perry was struggling profoundly with his alcohol and opioid addictions, a battle that shadowed much of his career. He revealed that dating the global superstar, Julia Roberts, intensified his feelings of inadequacy and fear.

He wrote: "Dating Julia Roberts had been too much for me. I had been constantly certain that she was going to break up with me. Why would she not? I was not enough; I could never be enough; I was broken, bent, unlovable." This profound lack of self-worth led to a tragic, preemptive strike.

The Preemptive Split

Fearing the inevitable heartbreak of Roberts leaving him, Perry made the painful decision to end the relationship first. He felt that if he broke up with the beautiful and brilliant star, it would protect him from the devastating blow of her departure.

Perry's memoir details the deep emotional turmoil he was experiencing. The pressure of maintaining a relationship with a woman who was globally famous, while simultaneously fighting a secret, debilitating addiction, became overwhelming. The six-month romance, which had started with such playful banter and hope, dissolved into a moment of profound personal crisis for the actor. This revelation offers a fresh, poignant perspective on a seemingly perfect Hollywood pairing, highlighting the devastating impact of addiction on personal relationships.

The Legacy of Their Brief Relationship

Despite its short duration, the Matthew Perry and Julia Roberts romance is a significant footnote in 90s pop culture history and a key element in Perry’s personal narrative. The details revealed in Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing provided a crucial, updated context to their time together, moving the story from a fun celebrity anecdote to a tragic love story influenced by mental health and substance abuse issues.

Adding another layer of melancholy to their story is the fact that Matthew Perry passed away on October 28, 2023—which also happens to be Julia Roberts' birthday. While Roberts has since moved on, marrying Daniel Moder and raising a family, she recently spoke about Perry's passing, describing it as "heartbreaking" and noting that it "just takes your breath away."

Their story—the intense fax courtship, the six-month romance, and the heartbreaking reason for the split—serves as a powerful reminder that even the most glamorous Hollywood relationships can be undermined by private battles. The connection between Chandler Bing and Susie Moss may have been short, but it was undeniably real, leaving a lasting impression on both stars and their fans.

Key Entities and Topical Authority

  • Duration: Six Months
  • Time Period: 1995–1996
  • Key Event: Filming of Friends Season 2, "The One After the Super Bowl"
  • Perry's Role: Chandler Bing
  • Roberts' Role: Susie Moss (The Girl with the Scar)
  • Communication Method: Fax Machine (Three-Month Courtship)
  • Source of Details: Matthew Perry's memoir, Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing
  • Primary Reason for Breakup: Perry's feelings of inadequacy and struggles with substance abuse (alcohol and opioids).
  • Other Entities: Daniel Moder, Pretty Woman, 17 Again, Hollywood, NBC Sitcom, America's Sweetheart.
how long did matthew perry and julia roberts date
how long did matthew perry and julia roberts date

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