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‘Utterly devastated’: Friends actors issue joint statement following Matthew Perry’s death

The cast said they wanted to ‘grieve and process this unfathomable loss’

Friends cast issue joint statement following the death of Matthew Perry. Perry pictured with Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston and Matt LeBlanc at the end of the final Friends, in 2004

Tue Oct 31 2023 - 07:16

Matthew Perry’s fellow ‘Friends’ cast members issued a joint statement to express their grief about his sudden death

Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home in Los Angeles on October 28th. He was 54.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer said in the statement to People magazine.

“There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”

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“In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” the statement said. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

[ Matthew Perry could never shake off Chandler Bink or his demons ]

[ Irish Friends' fans mourn Matthew Perry: 'Did I cry on the way over here? Yes I did ]

Perry’s portrayal of Chandler Bing — a somewhat awkward but sharp and lovable 30-something professional who wore sweater vests but also moodily smoked cigarettes — catapulted him and his fellow “Friends” stars to international fame and turned him into a cultural phenomenon.

“Friends” ran for 10 seasons, from 1994 to 2004, and chronicled the never-too-dramatic dramas and in-jokes and exploits of six young friends in New York City.

Earlier Monday, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said on its website that Perry’s cause of death was “deferred,” which usually means that further investigation was needed. Later Monday, Perry’s case was not listed on the website at all.

The department said in an email Monday afternoon that it had “not yet concluded its investigation.” It gave no further information.

Fans pay tribute to late actor Matthew Perry outside 'Friends' building on October 30th, 2023 in New York City. Photograph: Getty Images

Experts cautioned that it could take weeks or months to conduct a toxicology screening and examine other evidence.

The Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with the executive producer Kevin Bright, issued a joint statement on Sunday, using a play on the show’s episode titles to say, “This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”

“It still seems impossible,” they wrote. “All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives. He was a brilliant talent. 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.”

Perry’s family said: “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.”

Selma Blair, Hank Azaria, Gwyneth Paltrow and Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, were among others to pay tribute to Perry after his death.

Perry had spoken openly about his struggles with sobriety after a ski accident in 1997 set in motion an addiction to pain killers. Over the years, his addiction had severe medical consequences, including an exploded colon, a stint on life support, two weeks in a coma, nine months with a colostomy bag and more than a dozen stomach operations.

In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry described how his castmates confronted him about his addiction.

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