Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer lost a member of their family with the passing of Friends co-star Matthew Perry on Saturday.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the cast said in a joint statement shared with People. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
Matthew Perry was found dead in his California home. He was 54.
“In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” the five actors’ collective statement continued. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Perry’s family said in a statement that they were “heartbroken” by his death, adding, “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.”
Friends creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin Bright, expressed disbelief over the news of his passing while also reflecting on how Perry made the role of Chandler Perry uniquely his own.
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” the trio of producers 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.”
They continued, “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,” Kauffman, Crane, and Bright said of Perry. “He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.”
Salma Hayek, who starred alongside Perry in 1997’s Fools Rush In, shared a tribute on Instagram in which she took a moment to think about the “special bond that happens when you share dreams with someone and together you work towards them.”
