Actor Matthew Perry has sadly passed away, aged 54.
The beloved Friends star was reportedly found by first responders in a jacuzzi at a home in Los Angeles on October 28, with TMZ reporting that Perry’s cause of death was as a result of drowning.
Sources speaking to the publication stated that first responders had initially been dispatched to Perry’s address following a call of a cardiac arrest.
TMZ further outlines that there were reportedly no drugs found at the scene, with the death also reportedly not being treated as suspicious.
Matthew Perry passed away on October 28, 2023.
Best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the 90s sitcom Friends, Matthew Perry first made his acting debut in 1979 as a guest star on the police drama series 240-Robert.
With his prolific career spanning over 35 years, Perry has starred in a number of fan-favourite films and television series, including Almost Heroes, 17 Again, The Good Wife, and The Odd Couple.
Two days following his passing, his co-stars from the hit television series Friends – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer – released a joint statement to People.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” their statement read. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
“In time we will say more, as and when we are able… For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Matthew was beloved for his role on Friends.
Matt LeBlanc shared his own tribute just over two weeks after his passing with a series of photos from their time on Friends.
“It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life.”
“It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you and I’ll never forget you. Never. Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love.”
He finished the tribute with a quick joke, “And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.”
Matt Leblanc and Matthew Perry played best friends and roommates on the show Friends.
(Credit: Getty)Not long after Matt, the rest of the Friends cast followed with their own tributes.
Courtney Cox shared a video to her Instagram, reminiscing on the time she played Matthew’s fictional wife on Friends.
“I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day.”
“When you work with someone as closely as I did with Matthew, there are thousands of moments I wish I could share. For now here’s one of my favorites.”
“To give a little backstory, Chandler and Monica were supposed to have a one-night fling in London. But because of the audience’s reaction, it became the beginning of their love story.”
“In this scene, before we started rolling, he whispered a funny line for me to say. He often did things like that. He was funny and he was kind. 🤍🕊️”
The scene where Monica and Chandler started their love story on Friends.
(Credit: Getty)Jennifer Anniston shared her own heartbreaking tribute along with a screenshot of a text from Matt saying, “Making you laugh just made my day.”
Her tribute followed underneath a picture of them laughing on the set of Friends.
“Oh boy this one has cut deep…”
“Having to say goodbye to our Matty has been an insane wave of emotions that I’ve never experienced before. We all experience loss at some point in our lives. Loss of life or loss of love.”
“Being able to really SIT in this grief allows you to feel the moments of joy and gratitude for having loved someone that deep. And we loved him deeply. He was such a part of our DNA.”
She explained that the cast really were just as close off-screen as they were on, “We were always the 6 of us. This was a chosen family that forever changed the course of who we were and what our path was going to be.”
“For Matty, he KNEW he loved to make people laugh. As he said himself, if he didn’t hear the ‘laugh’ he thought he was going to die. His life literally depended on it. And boy did he succeed in doing just that. He made all of us laugh. And laugh hard.”
“In the last couple weeks, I’ve been pouring over our texts to one another. Laughing and crying then laughing again. I’ll keep them forever and ever. I found one text that he sent me out of nowhere one day. It says it all.”
“Matty, I love you so much and I know you are now completely at peace and out of any pain.”
She finished her tribute with a reference to Matthew’s character, Chandler’s iconic quote, “I talk to you every day… sometimes I can almost hear you saying ‘could you BE any crazier?'”
A text message between Matthew Perry and Jennifer Anniston confirming the words in her tribute.
(Credit: Instagram)David Schwimmer reflected on how talented and loving Matthew was in his tribute to the late actor.
“Matty, Thank you for ten incredible years of laughter and creativity.”
“I will never forget your impeccable comic timing and delivery. You could take a straight line of dialogue and bend it to your will, resulting in something so entirely original and unexpectedly funny it still astonishes.”
“And you had heart. Which you were generous with, and shared with us, so we could create a family out of six strangers. This photo is from one of my favorite moments with you. Now it makes me smile and grieve at the same time.”
Similar to Jennifer, he finished his tribute with a Chandler Bing reference, “I imagine you up there, somewhere, in the same white suit, hands in your pockets, looking around— ‘Could there BE any more clouds?'”
David Schwimmer posted this throwback of him and Matthew Perry in the Friends episode, “The One with All the Thanksgivings”.
(Credit: Instagram)Finally, Lisa Kudrow expressed her gratitude towards her caring friend and co-star Matthew Perry along with a throwback picture of them together.
“Shot the pilot, Friends Like Us, got picked up then immediately, we were at the NBC Upfronts. Then… You suggested we play poker AND made it so much fun while we initially bonded. Thank you for that.”
“Thank you for making me laugh so hard at something you said, that my muscles ached, and tears poured down my face EVERY DAY.”
“Thank you for your open heart in a six way relationship that required compromise. And a lot of ‘talking.'”
“Thank you for showing up at work when you weren’t well and then, being completely brilliant. Thank you for the best 10 years a person gets to have.”
“Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for all I learned about GRACE and LOVE through knowing you. Thank you for the time I got to have with you, Matthew.”
Lisa Kudrow shared a photo of the night her and Matthew Perry bonded after Friends had gotten picked up.
(Credit: Instagram)Following news of his death Matthew’s family shared a statement to People, writing: “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother… Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.”
“You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”
Friends and co-stars have also paid tribute, including Gwyneth Paltrow who took to Instagram to share insight into her friendship with the late actor.
“I met Matthew Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts,” Gwyneth wrote in her caption. “We were both there for most of the summer doing plays. He was so funny and so sweet and so much fun to be with.”
“We drove out to swim in creeks, had beers in the local college bar, kissed in a field of long grass. It was a magical summer. He had shot the pilot of Friends but it had not aired yet. He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was.”
“We stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart, but I was always happy to see him when I did. I am super sad today, as so many of us are. I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.”
Elizabeth Hurley, who starred alongside Matthew in the 2002 movie Serving Sara also took to Instagram to pay tribute to the “incredibly talented comedian and a lovely man.”
“My oldest boy friend,” Selma Blair wrote in her own post dedicated to Matthew. “All of us loved Matthew Perry, and I did especially. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I’m broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty. Sweet dreams.”
Salma Hayek, who was Matthew’s co-star in the 1997 romantic comedy Fools Rush In, tributed her late friend.
“Two days ago, I woke up to the shocking news that Matthew Perry is no longer with us. It’s taken me a couple of days to process this profound sadness. There is a special bond that happens when you share dreams with someone, and together you work towards them,” she wrote on Instagram.
“I was very moved last year when Matthew shared on his Instagram stories how much he loved ‘Fools Rush In,’ and how he thought that that film we did together was probably his best movie. Throughout the years, he and I found ourselves reminiscing about that meaningful time in our lives with a deep sense of nostalgia and gratitude. My friend, you are gone much too soon, but I will continue to cherish your silliness, your perseverance, and your lovely heart. Farewell, sweet Matthew, we will never forget you.”
Salma starred on Fools Rush In with Matthew.
(Image: Instagram)Friends executive producers Marta Kauffman, David Crane and Kevin Bright shared a combined tribute with CBS News.
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives,” they said.
“It’s a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words. From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us.”
“We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment – not just to his work, but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart. We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”
This article previously appeared on WHO Magazine.
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