Matthew Perry death: How Hollywood has reacted

Matthew Perry’s “Friends” co-stars said they are “utterly devastated” after the sudden loss of their colleague and friend, who died at his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28.

The hit sitcom’s core cast — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — shared a joint statement with People on Monday mourning Perry’s death.

“We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” read their statement. “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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Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in his hot tub at about 4 p.m. Saturday, Capt. Kelly Muniz of the Los Angeles police said in a statement Sunday. The official cause of death is pending a coroner’s investigation, Muniz said.

In the days since his passing, members of Hollywood, celebrities and fans of the comic actor have paid tribute to Perry.

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“We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry’s passing,” said Warner Bros. in a statement on X (formerly Twitter). “He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans.”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, a childhood friend of the actor, called Perry’s death “shocking and saddening.”

“I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them,” he wrote on X. “Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved — and you will be missed.”

Many tributes to Perry centered around his “Friends” character Chandler Bing, who would often steal the show with his sarcastic wit and boyish charm.

“What a loss,” said Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler’s occasional love interest Janice on “Friends,” in an Instagram post. “The world will miss you Matthew Perry. The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.”

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“He was lovely to me on Friends and every time I saw him in the decades after,” wrote Paget Brewster, who appeared on “Friends” in season four as the character Kathy, who dated Bing’s character for multiple episodes. She added, “He won’t rest in peace though. He’s already too busy making everyone laugh up there.”

Ben Stiller, who appeared in one episode as a guest star, honored Perry in a Threads post on Sunday: “Matthew Perry literally created a comedic rhythm that became iconic to a generation of audiences. His timing was perfect. So sad he is gone. Sending love to his family and friends.”

Morgan Fairchild, who played the mother of Perry’s character, and Aisha Tyler, who played a love interest for Schwimmer’s Ross and LeBlanc’s Joey, both honored Perry on social media, with Tyler saying that she “learned how to tell a joke perfectly just by watching him work.”

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Although Perry was most widely known for his part on “Friends,” he had a number of other roles in Hollywood, including stints on “The West Wing” and “The Good Wife,” and starring roles in films such as “Fools Rush In” (1997) and “The Whole Nine Yards” (2000).

Stars who worked with Perry outside of “Friends” — like Yvette Nicole Brown, who starred with him on “The Odd Couple” and Meredith Salenger, a co-star in the 1988 film “A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon” — also shared reactions to his passing with photos from them working together on set.

Others discussed his struggles with alcoholism and drug addiction, a central point of his 2022 memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” He said in the memoir he spent about $7 million on treatment with 65 stints in detox beginning when he was 26 years old.

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“The Friends star was a great actor, but by his own admission, a very tormented guy,” wrote media personal Piers Morgan. “His recent autobiography about his addiction-ravaged life was one of the most powerful, honest and revealing I’ve ever read. Such sad news.”

On social media, clips and quotes circulated from a 2022 interview Perry did with podcaster Tom Power, where the actor said he hoped to be remembered for more than just “Friends” — including for the establishment of the sober-living facility The Perry House and “The End of Longing,” a play inspired by the actor’s struggles with alcoholism.

“The best thing about me, bar none, is that if somebody comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say ‘yes’ and follow up and do it,” he told Power.

He added, “When I die, I don’t want ‘Friends’ to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m gonna live the rest of my life proving that.”

Representatives for Perry did not respond to a request for comment.

correction

The article previously said Paul Rudd posted a reaction to Matthew Perry's death on Instagram. The reaction came from a Paul Rudd fan account and has been removed.

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