Matthew Perry turns Malibu home into sober-living residence

Matthew Perry, best known for the hit sitcom Friends, is opening up once again about his struggles with addiction as well as the decision to turn his former home into a transitional, sober-living residence.

The Ottawa-raised, American-born actor recently opened Perry House in Malibu, Calif. He worked with addiction specialist Earl Hightower to revamp his former home into a space for those making the transition from rehab back to their regular lives.

Perry, who recently starred in the defunct NBC sitcom Go On and made guest appearances on CBS's legal drama The Good Wife, has been open about his own battle with drugs and alcohol over the years.

"I think I was pretty good at hiding it but, you know, eventually people were aware," he told ABC News in an interview this week.

"It's scary to look at that. I was a sick guy."

While on Friends, Perry made headlines for his addiction to prescription painkillers and alcohol, as well as for several high-profile recovery attempts.

In the years since, he has regularly detailed his struggles and shared his experiences during public speaking engagements, including as a supporter of alternative sentencing for non-violent drug offenders.

Earlier this month, Perry and Hightower were honoured at the White House with a Champion of Recovery award — which recognized their efforts to aid those struggling with addiction — from the Obama administration's Office of National Drug Control Policy.