Matt LeBlanc is saying goodbye to his friend Matthew Perry after the former Friends star died on October 28 of an apparent drowning. Matt, along with the other members of the cast, released a statement shortly after Matt’s death, saying, "We were more than just cast mates. We are a family." Now, Matt is the first member to directly address their loss on social media. This won't surprise fans, since Matt worked closely with Matthew during his time playing Joey Tribbiani, Chandler Bing's best friend.
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Matt penned a sweet tribute to his longtime friend.
The post was a series of stills of Joey and Chandler from the show, showing the close friendship the characters shared that certainly seemed to translate to real life.
"It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life," he wrote.
It is easy to see the bond the two had over the years.
"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," he shared.
Several of the photos feature Joey and Chandler in their famous close hugs, and the carousel ends with the cast in a group huddle from the show’s series finale.
Matt even indirectly addressed Matthew's struggles with addiction.
One of the most striking parts of Matt’s message is when he says Matthew is "free," which may be his way of alluding to his struggles with addiction over the years.
"Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love," he wrote.
Even though the post was heartfelt, he chose to end it on a funny note.
Indicative of their close friendship, Matt chose to end his tribute to Matthew with a joke, saying, "And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me."
This final comment also feels fitting, considering how many times Chandler lent Joey money during Friends.
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The cast of 'Friends' stayed close long after filming for the show ended.
During the 2021 Friends reunion, Matt reflected on the closeness of the cast of the show almost 20 years after the show came to an end during an interview with People.
"I think everybody sort of has a relationship like that in their life," he said. "You know that when you have a conversation with that person, it's really heartfelt, it's honest, it's open. You know that there's no ulterior motive. They're significant relationships."
