The surviving cast of Friends have paid tribute to Matthew Perry, describing his sudden death as an “unfathomable loss”.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc told People magazine in their first public comments on Perry’s death.
“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.”
Perry’s five former co-stars said they would have more to say “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.”
Perry was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles on Saturday afternoon, the LA Times reported, citing law enforcement sources.
He was 54.
The Canadian-born actor had spoken openly about his struggles with addiction and attending rehab for painkillers and alcohol.
In his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry described a five-month hospitalisation in 2018 following a colon rupture that he said left him with a two percent chance of surviving the night.
The cause of Perry’s death is being investigated by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office.
Perry became one of the world’s most recognised actors for his role as the sarcastic, wisecracking Chandler Bing on NBC’s sitcom, Friends, which ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004.
The series, which followed the lives of six young New Yorkers, was one of the most-watched US TV shows during its runs and remains popular in syndication around the world.
Perry’s death has led to an outpouring of grief and shock from fans worldwide, with mourners leaving flowers and heartfelt tributes outside the New York building that served as an exterior for the show.
