Almost a year ago I posted my analysis of Matthew Perry’s birth chart with an eye for the past using the information he shared in his memoir, Matthew Perry: Friends, Lovers, and The Big Terrible Thing. If you haven’t read that yet, here’s the link. I was so glad he was on the path to recovery and was just crushed at his passing along with the rest of his fans worldwide.

On December 15, 2023, the toxicology report results were finally announced, revealing that Matthew’s cause of death was “acute effects of ketamine”. I was curious to see from an astrological perspective what was happening in the sky on that tragic and sad day and how the transiting planets effected Matthew’s birth chart.

On Saturday, October 28, 2023, three natural malefics (debilitated Sun, Mars, and Ketu) along with Mercury- who will take on some malefic qualities of the three planets it’s hanging out with due to Mercury’s impressionable vulnerability or chameleon-like nature- were transiting Matthew’s 4th House, the house linked to watery places- including pools and jacuzzies, and they were conjunct his natal Moon in the 4th.

The 4th House is the house of happiness and the mind (particularly in regards to how our emotional state influences our thoughts and vice versa). The challenging triple impact from these transiting planets may have been too much. I’ve often wondered if the release of his memoir was too soon, that maybe he wasn’t healed or strong enough to take the whole story to the public, regardless of his good intentions. I’m wondering if his publicity tour to promote the book (with the constant retelling of the difficulty he’d endured and having to answer hard questions repeatedly) turned out to be too much for him emotionally and mentally. I’d imagine there were ups and downs with the public exposure. Despite his enormous fan base, in this social media day and age there’s always both positive and negative reactions, even with sensitive situations. I’m wondering if negative feedback crept in. If even remotely possible, it’s plausible that negative effects disturbed his mental state causing an increase in doubt and anxiety. Only Matthew could say for sure.

Natally, Matthew had debilitated Saturn in the 10th House aspecting the 4th, showing how he already had pressure pounding his Moon and 4th House, causing emotional distress and depression, an on-going vulnerable area throughout his life. Notice his natal Jupiter in Virgo 12th from his Moon. This shows how Matt had a tendency to initially react to situations, to life through the lens of humor, playfulness, even optimism. But then he’d have to process emotionally whatever occurred, where he’d ‘encounter’ his feelings (Moon) and be tested every time to ward off doubt, fear, and depression (Saturn in mutual aspect with the Moon). Then from interacting with his emotional responses, he likely took deep dives into those emotions through Mars in Scorpio, 2nd from the Moon. And this was where he needed to find the best and healthiest outlet to integrate his experience and make sense of his feelings. But Mars in the 5th House strong in its own sign, while great for bravery and courage, can make one willing to take risks impulsively, which could be detrimental to health and emotional stability.

Also on October 28th, Rahu was transiting over his debilitated Saturn. Rahu exaggerates or emphasizes what it conjoins, in this case a weak Saturn, which shows Matthew’s fears and anxieties and his difficulty with keeping good regular habits and discipline. Rahu (and Ketu) indicate pharmaceuticals, and now that we’ve learned he was taking ketamine, it’s evident he still lived with this on-going menace of depression and anxiety (Saturn in mutual aspect with the Moon).

Physically, the 4th House represents the chest, lungs, and heart. I’m unfamiliar with ketamine, its use and its potential issues, but I’d assume that the misuse or overuse of ketamine could seize the nervous system and cause a full blown seizure, a heart attack, and/or a coma. Did he take too much ketamine? No one has stated this. But having taken ketamine, even at a regulated dosage, and then gotten into a hot tub may have been enough to trigger the domino effect that would take his life so unexpectedly, particularly when he had other health issues. The transiting planets point towards a heart issue (the Sun) with seizure (Mars/Mercury) resulting in the loss of consciousness (Ketu) and drowning (4th House). The Sun along with Mars reflects the heat of the water as both planets are fiery. Perhaps the high temperature was a factor in all this as well. Mars also represents accidents and the nodes (Rahu and Ketu) bring about sudden and unexpected events, and his death, in fact, has been ruled accidental.

Matthew was running his Mercury Mahadasha, Rahu bhukti when he passed. Mercury is the nervous system, the nerves, anxiety and is not an easy planet for Cancer Rising. Matt showed so much courage during his recovery process, which he got from his powerful Mars. But in his divisional chart of strength (the Bhamsha), his dasha ruler Mercury is in the 12th House of loss and is debilitated. Bhukti ruler Rahu brings about unusual, unexpected events and is associated with drugs and occupies the 8th House of the Bhamsha, aspecting both Mercury in the 12th and the 4th House. The day he passed, there was also a partial lunar eclipse occurring over his 4th-10th house axis, on his natal Moon-Saturn mutual aspect.

In his memoir, Matthew candidly admitted to wanting ‘fame, fame, and fame’. This strong desire to achieve fame came through a few things, particularly his Sun in Leo (the actor) while the Moon (the public) aspects the 10th House (the stage) from the 4th. The Moon as his Ascendant ruler made this desire a very personal one. The global fame he achieved certainly did not resolve his personal problems which started in childhood (and likely created even more), but Matt achieved the fame he craved, what he longed for almost all his life, and kudos to him for doing so through acting and humor. The most beloved characters he portrayed, especially Chandler Bing, will never be forgotten. He’ll always be a ‘friend’ to so many.

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Renate Maria Bell is a certified Vedic Astrologer, Jyotish Visharada, and approved teacher with the Council of Vedic Astrology. She can be reached at renatembell@aol.com

Image of Matthew Perry’s birth chart courtesy Shri Jyoti Star of which the author is a licensed use. Photo of Matthew courtesy Google search