According to The Hollywood Reporter, Friends star Matthew Perry has been tapped to star in the upcoming TNT original movie The Ron Clark Story.

Perry will play the title character, whose real-life exploits as a teacher in East Harlem, N.Y., earned him Disney's 2000 Teacher of the Year Award. " 'The Ron Clark Story' is the true story of one teacher's courage to leave his small hometown and head to one of the most challenging public schools in the country," TNT senior vp original programming Michael Wright said. "We are proud to have an actor the caliber of Matthew Perry bringing his talents to such a memorable, inspirational story."