Two days after the sudden and tragic death of Matthew Perry, the actor’s “Friends” co-stars have come together to mourn the loss.
In a joint statement released Monday to People, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer spoke about feeling “utterly devastated” over the loss of Perry. The five actors starred with Perry in the hit NBC ensemble sitcom “Friends,” which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004. The six actors appeared in every one of the show’s 236 episodes.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the statement reads. “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.”
Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home late at night on October 28. The sitcom actor, whose other roles outside of “Friends” include “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip” and the 2017 reboot of “The Odd Couple,” was found unresponsive in his hot tub, in what is believed to have been a drowning incident. The official cause of death has yet to be determined.
On “Friends,” Perry played the witty, sarcastic, and lovable Chandler, and his work netted him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2002. He received four other Emmy nominations over the course of his career: two for guest starring in “The West Wing,” one for his performance in the 2007 TV film “The Ron Clark Story,” and one for producing the 2021 “Friends” reunion special.
Since Perry’s death was first reported, many of the star’s former collaborators have paid tribute. In a joint statement, “Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright called the former Chandler Bing “a brilliant talent.”
“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. He was a brilliant talent,” the three wrote in their statement. “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.”
