Matthew Perry: Main Friends stars break silence and pay emotional tribute to late actor

30 October 2023, 23:00

Friends stars Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow have paid an emotional tribute to their late friend and co-star.

Matthew Perry's co-stars from Friends have released a joint official statement about the actor's sudden passing at 54.

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer have signed the statement, telling fans they are "devastated" by the news.

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"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew," it read. "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."

They continued: "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."

Matthew Perry starred as Chandler Bing in the iconic sitcom, alongside Aniston as Rachel, Cox as Monica, LeBlanc as Joey, Kudrow as Phoebe and Schwimmer as Ross.

Friends aired between 1994 and 2004, with repeats being shown on UK and US TV pretty much every day since it first broadcast.

The Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and director Kevin Bright have also issued a statement following Perry's suspected drowning on Saturday.

They praised Perry for his "blinding intelligence" and always being "the funniest person in the room".

"We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew's passing," they said in a statement. "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 cliché 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."