On October 27th, Netflix drops The One About Matthew Perry, a three-part docuseries told by the people who knew him best. It lands one day before the third anniversary of his death.

The episode titles even borrow the Friends naming style. “The One About Love.” “The One About Laughter.” “The One About a Friend.” That got me.

Because that’s what these losses feel like. Like losing a friend you never actually met. You grew up with them. They were on your TV every Thursday, in your headphones on the bus, on the big screen on a Friday night.

So while we wait for the doc, let’s do what Matthew would probably want us to do. Laugh, cry a little, and press play. Here are 10 stars we lost way too soon, the work that defines them, and exactly where to stream it right now.

10 Stars We Lost Too Soon (And Where to Stream Them)

1. Matthew Perry (54)

Best work: Friends

Could there BE a more obvious pick? Chandler Bing wasn’t just a character. He was the blueprint for every sarcastic friend in your group chat. Perry made deflecting with a joke look like an art form, and later he got brave enough to tell us what was underneath it.

Where to stream: All 10 seasons are on HBO Max. Then watch the new doc on Netflix starting tomorrow.

2. Aaliyah (22)

Best work: Romeo Must Die

Baby Girl was already a music icon when she stepped into acting opposite Jet Li. The movie is fun. But the real legacy is “Try Again,” the soundtrack single that earned her a Grammy nod. Twenty-plus years later, the style, the cool, the effortless swag still hits.

Where to stream: Rent it on Apple TV, Amazon or Google Play. Her catalog is on all the major music apps now too.

3. Selena Quintanilla (23)

Best work: Selena: The Last Concert, Live From the Astrodome

Forget the biopic for a second. Watch the real thing. Her February 1995 show in Houston was her final televised concert, and yes, that’s the purple jumpsuit. The Queen of Tejano was only getting started.

Where to stream: It’s on Amazon through the Stingray Qello channel, and linked you’ll find the full performance from the show on above.

4. Chris Farley (33)

Best work: Tommy Boy

Fat guy in a little coat. If you know, you know. Farley threw his whole body at every joke, and Tommy Boy is the purest version of that energy. Him and David Spade were comedy chemistry you can’t fake.

Where to stream: It’s on AMC+, free on Hoopla with a library card, and free with ads on YouTube.

5. Chadwick Boseman (43)

Best work: Black Panther, with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom as the encore

I had the opportunity to get to know Chadwick, so this one hits close to home.

But what I remember most isn’t a red carpet or a big premiere. It’s the way his family talks about him. One conversation and you can hear how much they loved that man and how much he meant to them.

That’s when it really hits you. We didn’t just lose a legend. We lost a good man.

Wakanda Forever was more than a salute. It was a moment. And if you want to see him at his most raw, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was his final film. He filmed through a fight almost nobody knew he was in.

Where to stream: Black Panther is on Disney+. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is on Netflix.

6. Naya Rivera (33)

Best work: Glee

Santana Lopez had the sharpest tongue and the strongest voice in that choir room. Naya made a “mean girl” into one of the most layered characters on TV. And the timing here is wild. Disney just announced an all-new season of Glee, so now is the perfect time to rewatch.

Where to stream: Disney+ and Hulu.

7. Heath Ledger (28)

Best work: The Dark Knight

“Why so serious?” Ledger didn’t play the Joker. He disappeared into him. It’s still the performance every comic book villain gets measured against, and he earned a posthumous Oscar for it.

Where to stream: The whole Nolan trilogy is on HBO Max.

8. Bernie Mac (50)

Best work: The Original Kings of Comedy

Steve Harvey, Cedric and D.L. Hughley were all great on that tour. But Bernie walked out and owned the building. “I ain’t scared of you” is still a whole mood. If you only know him from The Bernie Mac Show, this is where you start.

Where to stream: Free on Hoopla and Kanopy with a library card.

9. Freddie Prinze (22)

Best work: Chico and the Man

Before there was a Freddie Prinze Jr., there was Freddie from Washington Heights. A Puerto Rican kid from Uptown who became a TV star in his early twenties. Chico and the Man was the first U.S. series set in a Mexican-American neighborhood, and “Lookin’ good!” became a catchphrase for a generation.

Where to stream: Episodes are available to buy on Fandango at Home.

10. Paul Walker (40)

Best work: Furious 7

The ending. You know the one. Dom and Brian at the light, “See You Again” kicks in, and two cars split down different roads. I’m not crying… You’re crying. Grown men in theaters everywhere were “just sweating from the eyes.” It’s the most fitting goodbye Hollywood ever gave an actor.

Where to stream: Peacock.

Streaming availability shifts often. Everything here was checked as of October 26, 2026.

The Takeaway

We don’t get to choose how long anyone stays. But we do get to choose what we keep playing.

The beautiful thing about streaming is that nobody on this list is really gone from the screen. Chandler is still cracking jokes. Selena is still lighting up the Astrodome. Brian O’Conner is still driving off into the sunset.

So pick one tonight. Call somebody you love while it’s on. Then, sit down with The One About Matthew Perry and remember the man behind the laugh.

The One About Matthew Perry – Trailer

Who did we miss? Drop the name you’d add in the comments.