Matthew Perry’s Friends co-stars have paid tribute to the actor, saying that they need time to “process this unfathomable loss”.
Perry, who played Chandler Bing in the globally popular American sitcom, was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday. The actor, 54, is believed to have drowned in his hot tub.
Last night his co-stars — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — gave a statement to People magazine. “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” they said.
“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 Friends cast were famously close. They became household names thanks to the massive popularity of the sitcom, which ran for ten years from 1994. They negotiated their salaries and ended up earning $1 million an episode each for the final two series.
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Their close bond was on display in the 2021 Friends reunion special.
More details have emerged about Perry’s final hours. The Los Angeles Fire Department said he was found unresponsive in a Jacuzzi by a bystander who lifted his head out of the water. However, he was dead by the time paramedics arrived shortly after 4pm, officials said. The bystander was not identified.
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The Los Angeles County coroner has opened an investigation but the results of toxicology tests are likely to take months. An autopsy has been completed but a cause of death has been listed as “deferred”. Law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times that no illicit drugs were found but prescription medication was.
Perry spent years and millions of dollars battling addictions to alcohol and prescription painkillers.
