‘We are a family’: Matthew Perry’s Friends co-stars break silence
The five castmates of Friends star Matthew Perry have told of their “unfathomable loss” in a joint statement after the actor’s shock death.
Celebrity Life
Don't miss out on the headlines from Celebrity Life. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The heartbroken castmates of Friends star Matthew Perry have told of their “unfathomable loss” in a joint statement after the 54-year-old actor’s shock death.
The moving tribute, released by People, is the first official statement from Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” their 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,” the statement continues. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
The message is then signed by Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc and Schwimmer.
A downcast Schwimmer was pictured outside his New York apartment on Monday as he received a food delivery.
The star, who was wearing a face mask, flashed a peace sign to waiting photographers.
The statement came as chilling new details emerged about Perry’s death and how he was found underwater in his jacuzzi by his assistant.
Perry’s assistant frantically lifted the star’s head up to try and get him some air, first responders said.
But by the time the Los Angeles Fire Department arrived at the Friends star’s Pacific Palisades home, the 54-year-old was already dead, the Los Angeles Times reports.
JOHN STAMOS ‘NEVER FORGOT’ MATTHEW PERRY GESTURE
Actor John Stamos is remembering Matthew Perry with a heartwarming anecdote.
During the ninth season of Friends, the Full House actor guest starred as a prospective sperm donor for Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Perry) but has recalled an “embarrassing” experience taping the show, which was filmed in front of a live studio audience.
“Standing backstage, ready to make my entrance, Matt whispers, ‘The audience is going go crazy when they see you! Get ready for some loud screams,’” Stamos recalled on Instagram alongside a clip from the 2003 scene in which he appeared.
“I walk through the door … silence. I was so embarrassed.”
Stamos, 60, nevertheless finished the scene and went back to his dressing room convinced he should “quit showbiz”. But Perry walked over to the audience.
“’Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for John Stamos! You guys probably didn’t recognise him at first because he’s so much better looking in person!’”
“I never forgot that and the world will never forget you,” Stamos posted.
HAYEK’S ‘SPECIAL BOND’ WITH PERRY
Salma Hayek, who starred opposite Perry in the 1997 comedy Fools Rush In, has told fans of her “profound sadness”.
“Two days ago, I woke up to the shocking news that Matthew Perry is no longer with us,” she wrote.
“It’s taken me a couple of days to process this profound sadness,” Hayek posted on Instagram Monday, sharing throwback photos of herself with Perry.
“There is a special bond that happens when you share dreams with someone, and together you work towards them,” she continued.
“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,” she wrote.
“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.”
CELEBRITY TRIBUTES FLOW
As tributes pour in after Perry’s shock death, Sarah Ferguson was the first member of the royal family to express her sorrow.
The Duchess of York took to Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, to commemorate the “brilliant” actor.
“I remember being thrilled to have met a natural talent, comedian and brilliant actor. It is a tragedy to lose you so early in life, rest in peace dear Matthew … you have given so much joy and laughter to so many,” the Duchess wrote.
I remember being thrilled to have met a natural talent, comedian and brilliant actor. It is a tragedy to lose you so early in life, rest in peace dear Matthew … you have given so much joy and laughter to so many. pic.twitter.com/sdhtPuzOSV
— Sarah Ferguson (Fergie) (@SarahTheDuchess) October 29, 2023
The Duchess met Perry when she had a cameo on the hit series during its fourth season when the show had en episode set in London.
This episode titled “The One with Ross’s Wedding” featured a storyline in which Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) unexpectedly runs into the Duchess.
Ferguson, playing herself, records a humorous message for Chandler (Matthew Perry), saying, “Hi Chandler, Joey says you don’t really like his hat, but I think it’s kind of dashing.”
Hello! magazine reported the Duchess’s daughters were fans of the show and convinced their mum to make a guest appearance.
According to Kelsey Miller’s book, I’ll Be There for You: The One About Friends, the royal was nervous and rehearsed with LeBlanc while Perry was supportive
FRIENDS CO-CREATORS PAY TRIBUTE
The co-creators of the smash-hit sitcom, Marta Kauffman, David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright, issued a joint statement.
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” they wrote. “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 reflected on Perry’s breakout role as Chandler Bing, which shot him to global stardom.
“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.”
The statement ended with a sad reference to the Friends title tradition. “We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”
Brooke Shields, who played a guest role on Friends as Joey’s stalker in 1996, told of her sadness.
“Really struggling to find the words,” she posted on Instagram. “You were so loved, Matthew. I loved you dearly. Thank you for the belly laughs. You brought joy to so many. We already miss you… sending all of my love to your family & friends”.
Hank Azaria, known for his voice work on The Simpsons, had been friends with Perry since their early acting days and told how his “brother” was there in a time of need.
The actor and director, who played a guest role on Friends as Phoebe’s boyfriend and has been sober for 17 years, credited Perry for bringing him to Alcoholics Anonymous for the first time.
“Matthew and I became really good friends and we were really more like brothers for a long time. We drank a lot together, we laughed a lot together, we were there for each other in the early days of our career,” a teary Azaria said.
“He was, to me, as funny as he was on Friends. And other things too. In person, he was just the funniest man ever. He just lived to laugh. He was a genius.
“I really loved him. A lot of us who were close to him felt like we lost him to drugs and alcohol a long time ago because — as he documented in his autobiography — there was so much suffering.”
The star went on to say, despite Perry’s own struggle with substance abuse, the Friends actor leapt to his side when Azaria needed help with alcohol addiction.
“The whole first year I was sober, we went to meetings together,” Azaria recalled.
“As a sober person, [Perry] was so caring and giving and wise. And he totally helped me get sober.
“I really wish he could have found it in himself to stay with the sober life more consistently.”
‘KISSED IN THE LONG GRASS’: GWYNETH’S TRIBUTE
Gwyneth Paltrow has paid a moving tribute to her former sweetheart Matthew Perry as she reminisced how they “kissed in a field of long grass” during the “magical summer” before Friends aired.
The Oscar winner, who visited Sydney just days ago, posted her touching account as Hollywood reeled from the shock death of the 54-year-old star.
“I met Matthew Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts,’ she recalled. “We were both there for most of the summer doing plays.”
“We drove out to swim in creeks, had beers in the local college bar, kissed in a field of long grass,’ she said. “It was a magical summer.”
Paltrow wrote that at the time of their meeting the actor had already shot the pilot for Friends, but the show had not yet aired.
“He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was.”’
The Goop founder said: “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.”
MORE FRIENDS CASTMATES PAY TRIBUTE
Matthew Perry’s TV parents have reacted to his tragic death.
Chandler Bing’s parents were played by Kathleen Turner and Morgan Fairchild. Turner played drag queen father Helena Handbasket, while Fairchild played Nora Tyler Bing, an erotic romance novelist.
Turner told People magazine: “[I’m] very said for Matthew. He came to see one of my Broadway shows and he came backstage. When he saw me, he yelled out, ‘Hey dad’ and everyone thought it was pretty cool. I think it was for ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.’”
She added: “It’s extremely sad when you think about how young [he was] and a pity he couldn’t get more control. I can’t imagine the pressure those guys lived under being a worldwide phenomenon. It must have been overwhelming.”
Morgan Fairchild posted on Twitter/X: “I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my ‘son,’ Matthew Perry. The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock,” the 73-year-old wrote.
Aisha Tyler, who played David Schwimmer’s character Ross’ girlfriend, Charlie, for nine episodes and became the first black person with a recurring role on the sitcom posted to Instagram that Perry “had a gentleness and generosity of spirit that was unparalleled.”
Elliott Gould, who played Monica and Ross’s dad and became Chandler’s father-in-law after he married Monica, paid tribute to Perry, who he said was “kind, thoughtful, smart, funny and just a terrifically, talented actor.”
“Matthew told me he was so honoured to be working with me. What he didn’t know until I told him, was that it was my privilege to play his father-in-law. My heart goes out to his wonderful family. He will be missed by so many but he will never be forgotten.”
Christina Ricci, who guest starred as one of Joey Tribbiani’s (Matt LeBlanc) sisters in the spinoff series Joey, praised Perry as a “genius” and posted on Instagram, “Friends saved me numerous times during hard and lonely times in my life. I adored his character and wanted to marry Chandler Bing as a teenager. I watched all his movies.”
Ricci never met the actor but said she “burst into tears” when she read the news of his death.
Singer and actor Jennifer Hudson said Perry brought “joy and light” to the world.
This man brought so much joy and light to so many around the world. He was such a huge part of the Warner Bros. family and he will be greatly missed. Rest in peace, Matthew Perry. pic.twitter.com/GC6Nr5gN34
— Jennifer Hudson (@IAMJHUD) October 29, 2023
Megastar singer Adele also paid tribute to Perry during her Las Vegas shows over the weekend.
Maggie Wheeler, who played Perry’s on-screen girlfriend, Janice in Friends was one of the first Friends cast members to post a public tribute on social media.
“What a loss. The world will miss you Matthew Perry,” she wrote. “The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.”
Actor Paget Brewster, who played another of his girlfriends in season four of Friends, shared her memories of the Perry on X.
“He was lovely to me on Friends and every time I saw him in the decades after,” she wrote. “Please read his book. It was his legacy to help. He won’t rest in peace though … He’s already too busy making everyone laugh up there.”
The official Friends X (formerly Twitter) account told of their devastation about Perry’s death.
“He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans,” the post read.
Beverly Hills 90210 star Shannen Doherty, who is fighting her own battle with cancer, revealed she once had a Valentine’s Day date with Perry, who had a guest role on the hit soap in 1991.
“Matt always had THAT sense of humour,” she posted on Instagram.
“Matt and I had a date and it was on Valentine’s Day. He wanted to get a reservation at a restaurant in Malibu but couldn’t so my dad got the reservation for him.
“We went and he talked about my dad’s Irish persuasiveness the majority of the night. Our friendship spanned a long time. A lifetime really.
“I know many are hurting, especially our little gang. He will be missed by many and definitely by us. Yes. I could be more poetic or say things better but right now, shock and sadness prevail.”
Mira Sorvino, who starred with Perry on Parallel Lives, described the actor as a “sweet, troubled soul” in her X post.
“May you find peace and happiness in Heaven, making everyone laugh with your singular wit!!!” she wrote.
Actor Selma Blair paid tribute to Perry on her Instagram page, describing him as “my oldest boy friend”.
“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,” she wrote.
Fellow actor Olivia Munn paid tribute to Perry’s honesty about his battle with addiction in her social media post.
“He struggled with so much addiction and was brave enough to be open and honest about it. I’m so sorry to his family and friends who are getting this news today,” she said. “Nothing short of heartbreaking. Rest in love, Matthew Perry.”
Even Nancy Sinatra had a tribute for the troubled actor.
“Happy trails to you, Matt,” she wrote on X. “Thanks for being you. Wishing you a peaceful journey home through the stars. If you loved Matthew Perry as I did read his book. You will learn a lot about him.”
Canadian leader Justin Trudeau has commented, as Perry’s mother was a Canadian journalist who served as press secretary to then prime minister Pierre Trudeau, father of
the current Canadian PM.
Justin Trudeau said Perry’s death was “shocking and saddening”.
“I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them,” Trudeau posted on X.
PERRY’S HIGHS, LOWS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE
The star’s passing marks the end of a life filled with incredible career highs and devastating lows.
His substance abuse issues derailed his once smoking-hot Hollywood career, which peaked with the success of Friends, the smash-hit sitcom which debuted in 1994 and ran for ten years.
The comedy, about six friends living in Manhattan, became a global phenomenon, scoring record ratings and becoming a launching pad to superstardom for the lead actors.
Like his co-stars — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — Perry was relatively unknown when he landed the part of Chandler Bing aged 24.
Of the lead characters on the blockbuster sitcom, Perry’s Chandler Bing was the sarcastic one, described by Variety magazine as the “comic soul” of the show.
Perry himself said the character of Chandler, with his neurotic patter and cutting-edge timing, was groundbreaking at the time.
In his best-selling 2022 autobiography Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he reflected on how the speech inflection he engineered for Chandler, with its emphasis on certain words, seeped into popular culture and influenced how a generation spoke.
Global fame, however, did not prove easy for the star.
“People come up to me every day and say, ‘Hey Chandler!’ I don’t respond to it,” Perry said in a 2014 interview.
“If somebody says, ‘Hi Matthew, I love your work’, that’s one thing. But if somebody goes ‘Yo, Chandler’, I don’t like that. I’m tired of it. I’m not Chandler.”
PERRY’S EARLY LIFE
Perry was born in Massachusetts in 1969 to an American father and a Canadian mother who would later move her son to Ottawa when she worked as a press aide to then Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau.
In his memoir, Perry recalled acting out, including bullying a young Justin Trudeau, after his father left his family to pursue his own dreams of becoming an actor.
At the age of just 15, Perry moved to Hollywood with the hope of reconnecting with his father. In true Tinseltown style, he was discovered at a diner by director William Richert, who cast him in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, alongside River Phoenix.
MOVIE CAREER, ON STAGE AND RELATIONSHIPS
During his time on Friends, Perry starred in films including Fools Rush In with Salma Hayek and The Whole Nine Yards with Bruce Willis.
He also had relationships with actors Julia Roberts, Yasmine Bleeth, Neve Campbell, Lizzy Caplan as well as literary agent Molly Hurwitz.
After the end of Friends, Perry struggled to maintain his acting career as his addictions worsened and he found himself on the treadmill of constant stints in rehab.
In 2016, the multi-talented star wrote and acted in the play The End of Longing, which opened in London’s West End and later transferred to Broadway.
At the much-hyped Friends: The Reunion, a 2021 special in which the original cast members reunited, Perry caused alarm among fans with his slurred speech and sluggish demeanour.
Representatives for the actor told media outlets at the time that the star was recovering from emergency dental surgery.
PERRY’S HONEST MEMOIR
For years, Perry had been candid about his problems with drugs and alcohol, revealing the extent of his addiction in his best-selling 2022 autobiography, which was titled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.
He noted while he was promoting the book that he had been clean for 18 months but had “probably spent $9 million or something trying to get sober.”
Perry revealed that in 2019 he was put in a two-week coma after his colon ruptured as a result of his opioid addiction and he was given just a two per cent chance of survival.
“At this point in my life, the words of gratitude pour out of me because I should be dead, and yet somehow I am not,” he wrote.
Perry blamed his addiction problems on being given a barbiturate for colic at two months old, a feeling of abandonment by his parents’ divorce, and a 1997 jet skiing accident when he was prescribed Vicodin, a painkiller which made his “blood feel like warm honey”.
At one point during his Friends career, Perry said he was taking 55 Vicodin pills a day as his weight plummeted but he “didn’t know how to stop”.
He wrote in his memoir that he had to have 14 surgeries to help repair his abdominal damage from his ruptured colon and that he went to rehab 15 times in his bid to kick his addictions.
He told an interviewer in 2016 that he had no memory of filming three seasons of Friends due to his drug use.
“I had this odd rule that I would never drink on a set,” Perry said. “But I went to work in extreme cases of hangover. It’s so horrible to feel that way and have to work and be funny on top of that.”
Originally published as ‘We are a family’: Matthew Perry’s Friends co-stars break silence
Join the conversation
Surprise Kanye pics surface amid ‘divorce’
The controversial rapper and his Aussie wife have unexpectedly popped up amid widespread reports they are getting divorced.
Read more
Wild update in Aussie TV presenters’ split
The break-up between a top media couple has taken a surprise twist, with one party moving on with a former colleague.
Read more