Former Home Of 'Friends' Star Matthew Perry On Evacuation Notice Amid Pacific Palisades Fire

The fate of Matthew Perry’s former Pacific Palisades home remains unclear as wildfires continue to devastate large swaths of Southern California, with firefighters battling multiple out-of-control blazes fueled by relentless hurricane-strength winds.

The beloved "Friends" star was found unresponsive in his backyard hot tub in October 2023. Initially classified as an accidental drowning, an autopsy later revealed elevated levels of ketamine in his system, comparable to those used during general anesthesia.

Matthew Perry was 54 years old at the time of his passing.

Matthew Perry's former home, which is located in the heart of the Pacific Palisades, is now in an evacuation area amid the ongoing wildfires in Southern California. The "Friends" star's residency was sold in an $8.55 million off-market deal nearly a year after the actor’s untimely passing.

The 3,500-square-foot, four-bedroom mid-century modern property was purchased by Anita Verma-Lallian, a movie producer and real estate developer based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Verma-Lallian, who acquired the home through a trust, plans to use the property as a vacation home, according to her representative.

Records show Perry originally purchased the residence in 2020 for $6 million. The sale was facilitated by Brooke Elliott Laurinkus of Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California, while the listing was held by Greg Holcomb of Carolwood Estates.

The current state of Perry's former home is unclear, and while the new homeowner has not posted any updates regarding the property, she did share an article highlighting the wildfires on her Instagram Stories with three praying hand emojis.

The Palisades Fire, which ignited near the Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Tuesday morning, has scorched over 2,900 acres and remains zero percent contained, according to CalFire. At least 30,000 residents have been forced to evacuate as the flames edge dangerously close to homes and neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire, located to the northeast near Pasadena, has ballooned to over 2,200 acres after doubling in size overnight. This fire has prompted evacuation orders for more than 52,000 residents across Altadena, La Cañada Flintridge, and parts of Glendale.

Authorities warn that strong winds are expected to persist, potentially intensifying the already-dire situation in the coming hours.

In a heartfelt gesture of respect and reverence, the new owner of Matthew Perry's former home shared an emotional series of photos on Instagram on Thursday, October 31.

The images showcased a traditional Hindu blessing ceremony performed at the property, led by her Panditji—a Hindu spiritual leader. The ceremony, she explained, was conducted to “honor the positive aspects” of Perry’s life, as well as to recognize “his immense talent and the joy he brought to so many people.”

“The moment I walked into the home, I absolutely fell in love with the features, especially the view of the Pacific Ocean," Anita Verma-Lallian wrote in her caption. "We knew it was ‘the one’ and decided to write an offer on it immediately."

The shared photos capture serene moments of the ceremony, with the homeowner and her Panditji seated by the home's infinity pool and jacuzzi. Both features were part of an extensive renovation overseen by Perry himself. Tragically, the pool area is also where the beloved "Friends" star passed away, just three years after acquiring the property.

"As a real estate developer myself, I believe every property has a history that we may or may not know about, and every home carries the energy that the current owner brings to it," she shared. "I am Hindu, and it’s customary to do a blessing and prayer anytime you buy a new home. We were so lucky to have our Panditji from Arizona come to the house to do the blessing."

While plans are in place for updates to the four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom estate, the new owner assured followers that she has no intention of erasing all of Perry's personal touches. Notably, she emphasized her commitment to preserving the iconic Batman logo embedded in the pool floor—an homage to Perry's love for the caped crusader.

"We do plan to keep some of the design elements. The Batman logo in the pool is definitely staying," she confirmed.

Addressing the home's tragic history, the real estate mogul and aspiring film producer clarified that her decision to purchase the property was driven solely by her admiration for the house itself, and not by its past.