Friends cast say they are ‘utterly devastated’ in joint statement after death of Matthew Perry
The cast of Friends have expressed their heartbreak after the death of co-star Matthew Perry at age 54.
The show’s surviving main cast members, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer, appeared alongside Perry in all ten seasons of the beloved sitcom from 1994 to 2004.
They said in a joint statement: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.
“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.”
The six stars of the show were only reunited in public once since its end, in a televised reunion broadcast in 2021 – but have remained close over the years.
Perry spoke about receiving support from several of his castmates in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, which was candid about his experiences of drug and alcohol addiction.
No illegal substances were found at the actor’s Los Angeles home, after emergency services were called to what was described as a “water emergency” on Saturday, finding the actor unresponsive in his hot tub.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Earlier on Monday, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner said on its website that Perry’s cause of death was “deferred” as it awaits a toxicology report following his autopsy.
In an earlier statement, Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright 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.
“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.”
They added: “We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”
