Friends star Matthew Perry reveals he “beat up” Justin Trudeau in grade school

Well, it turns out children really are the worst.

During an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live last night (March 15), where he was promoting the new miniseries The Kennedys: After Camelot, actor Matthew Perry revealed that he once “beat up” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Best known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, the American-born, Ottawa-raised star attended Rockcliffe Park Public School in the Canadian capital, where he was two grades ahead of Trudeau. 

He told host Jimmy Kimmel that, when he was 10 years old, he and a friend decided to bully Trudeau due to his athletic ability. “I think he was excelling in a sport that we weren’t, so it was pure jealousy.” 

Perry was well aware that Trudeau’s father, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was prime minister at the time, but asserts that it was no reason for animosity. 

“I’m not bragging about this,” he stressed. “This is terrible. I was a stupid kid. I didn’t want to beat him up. In fact, I think at one point, I tried to turn it into a love play.”

The actor says he tries not to think about the incident and is not in touch with Trudeau. However, he did have this to add: “I think I was rather instrumental in him going to such great heights and becoming prime minister. I think he said, ‘I’m going to rise above this and I’m going to become prime minister.’ ”

Check out the full interview clip below: