Matthew Perry’s co-stars from ‘Friends,’ including Morgan Fairchild, shared tributes about the actor after his death.
Gone but not forgotten. Matthew Perry’s friends and former co-stars released heartfelt messages about the actor after his tragic death at age 54 on October 28.
The actor was found dead in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles area home after his assistant returned from running an errand, according to TMZ. His official cause of death is still pending.
Matthew was best known for his role as Chandler Bing on Friends, which ran from 1994 to 2004. The ensemble cast, which included Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc, was one of the biggest shows of the decade, even earning Matthew an Emmy nomination in 2002. The entire Friends cast reacted to Matthew’s death in a statement to PEOPLE on October 30.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” the five actors said. “We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” their statement reads. “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.”
While he found success on screen, Matthew’s real life was filled with ups and downs as he battled addiction. The actor said in his book that he spent more than $9 million in his lifetime in an effort to get sober, explaining, “I’ve been in a mental institution, gone to therapy twice a week for thirty years, been to death’s door.”However, at the time of his book’s release, the Massachusetts native was sober and dedicated his life to helping others battle addiction.
Keep reading to see tributes from Matthew’s former co-stars and more.
Matt LeBlanc was the first main Friends cast member to share an individual tribute to Matthew, doing so on Instagram on November 14. Matt posted photos of him and Matthew’s time playing Joey and Chandler on Friends, receptively, with a heartfelt message to his late co-star.
“Matthew, it is with a heavy heart I say goodbye,” Matt wrote in his caption. “The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life. It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you, and I’ll never forget you. Never. Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love. And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.”
Bradley Whitford, who starred alongside Matthew in Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, posted a video of an old interview of the two of them. In the caption, he wrote a long tribute, beginning by saying, “Matthew Perry made me laugh. Hard.” He continued to speak about how wonderful his sense of humor was, and the ways he made him laugh.
The West Wing alum continued and spoke about the many wonderful qualities that the Friends actor had. “Without substances, Matt had a huge, open heart and a pyrotechnical, joyous brain. I think the most beautiful parts of Matt made him the most vulnerable to the monster that he would have to fight for the rest of his life,” he wrote. “His battle was heroic. They don’t have award shows for that. They should.”
Bradley continued and highlighted how “kind” Matthew was, and spoke about how he was a “fountain of light,” even while battling his own demons. He said that he wanted to “honor” his co-star’s legacy by helping others get help. “I’m so grateful that I had the opportunity to work with Matt, to spend some precious time with him, and most of all, to be his friend,” he concluded.
The Almost Famous actress shared a photo of herself laughing at one of Matthew’s jokes on her Instagram Story on Monday, October 30.
