Friends Stars Are Waiting To Speak On Matthew Perry's Death For This Sad Reason
The following article includes mentions of drug and alcohol addiction.
Matthew Perry, most known for his role as Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom "Friends," died at 54. He passed away on October 28, 2023. His family spoke about his death with a heartbreaking message, but as of the publishing of this article, Perry's co-stars from "Friends" have yet to make a statement. An insider told Page Six why Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc have not shared anything yet: the five actors plan to write and release a statement together.
"The cast is reeling from the loss of their brother, because that's what Matty was — their brother," the source told the outlet. "The entire cast are close, they will be devastated, because they were together through the best of times and worst of times." They also said that Cox, Aniston, Kudrow, Schwimmer, and LeBlanc were supportive of Perry while he was dealing with his addiction to drugs and alcohol.
The statement from Perry's family expressed how devastating his death was for them. They continued, "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" (via People).
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Tributes and memories of Perry are being shared
Many people who loved Matthew Perry — whether they knew him in real life or were fans of his work — have shared tributes to him following his death, including Perry's former school pal Justin Trudeau.
On X, formerly known as Twitter, the Los Angeles Times shared a video of Adele stopping a concert on October 28 to say a few words about Perry. She shared that one of her childhood friends would do a Chandler Bing impression to cheer their friend group up. She also commended how he spoke up about his addiction. "Which I think is incredibly, incredibly brave," Adele said, who announced her decision to go sober in October 2023. She continued, "And yeah, I just wanna say how much I love what he did for us. Especially what he did for me."
Actor Sterling Knight played Perry's son in the film "17 Again." After hearing of his death, Knight tweeted a photo of the movie's cast and reminisced: "Everyone was so kind and I made an utter ass of myself in front of my sitcom hero, @MatthewPerry. He was kind, genuine, offered advice and inspired confidence. I'll always be a little bummed that we never got to play tennis, but heaven must've needed some sarcasm, and he was the best."
The co-creators and an executive producer of 'Friends' spoke highly of Perry
Three members of the creative team of "Friends" have also shared their feelings on Matthew Perry's death. Marta Kauffman and David Crane (who co-created the show) and Kevin Bright (an executive producer) said, "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."
They went on to praise Perry's performance as Chandler Bing and said, "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." Kauffman, Crane, and Bright said that Perry was always "the funniest person in the room" and "the sweetest" as well. They added, "We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken."
Perry is believed to have drowned in his hot tub, but his official cause of death is still being determined, according to NBC News.