Last night, the news broke that Friends actor Matthew Perry has died. At only 54 years old, his death surprised everyone, and today as everyone continues to try to wrap their head around his passing, his family, friends, and costars have been sharing moving tributes online.
HIs family released a statement about his 'tragic' death.
After the news broke that Matthew died of an apparent drowning, his family released a statement to People saying they are “heartbroken.”
"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother," the family shared. "Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend."
'You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love,' the family added.
Co-creators of Friends also issued a statement in a way that honored his legacy as Chandler Bing. Marta Kauffman, David Crane, and executive producer Kevin Bright issued a joint statement they called “The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” they shared. “It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives. He was a brilliant talent.”
Their statement continued, “We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment — not just to his work, but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.
“We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken,” they concluded.
Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler's recurring love interest Janice on 'Friends,' shared her feelings on Instagram.
"What a loss," Maggie shared. "The world will miss you, Mathew 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."
Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler's mom on Friends, wrote on X: "I'm heartbroken about the untimely death of my 'son,' Matthew Perry. The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock. I'm sending love & condolences to his friends & family, especially his dad, John Bennett Perry, who I worked with on Flamingo Road & Falcon Crest. #RIPMatthew."
Several others have shared condolences across social media.
People who both worked with Matthew and others who knew him took time to share their thoughts.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who went to school with Matthew in Ottawa, shared his statement on X, writing: "Matthew Perry’s passing is 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. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved – and you will be missed."
Shannen Doherty, who worked with Matthew when he appeared on the show Beverly Hills 90219 shared her thoughts on Instagram. "We were a gang way back. We all grew up together going to the Formosa, North and constantly laughing. Matt, Roger, David, Roxana. We played dare and Matt had to say ridiculous things to girls at the bar," she wrote. "We just always had fun and supported each other. You would always find us all together in a booth speaking in our own made up language. And yes, Matt always had THAT sense of humor."
There were also messages from Tom Green, Alyssa Milano, Valerie Bertinelli, George Takei, and so many more.
So far, none of the core group from ‘Friends’ has issued a statement.
The official Friends and Warner Bros. social media account shared condolences, writing, "We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry's passing. He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans."
We’re hoping Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc are able to be together during this time.
There was no foul play suspected in Matthew's death, but the details are still scarce.
According to People, Matthew was found at his Los Angeles-Area home on October 28, 2023, citing TMZ. Law enforcement sources say he was found dead, which was confirmed to the Los Angeles Times.
The news outlets report the Friends actor, known for playing Chandler Bing, was found in a jacuzzi at his home. Reports indicate no drugs were found at the scene.
“We're told Matthew came home sometime in the AM after a 2-hour round of pickleball, and that he sent his assistant out on errand shortly thereafter,” TMZ reported.
“We're told when the assistant returned about 2 hours later, he discovered Matthew unresponsive … and called 911.”
The latest from the reports don't give too much more information.
The latest news from TMZ reported there were some prescription drugs found at Matthew's home including "anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs and a COPD drug in the house."
"The L.A. County Coroner will conduct a toxicology exam to determine if any drugs were in Perry's system, but that could take months," TMZ added.
We're sending love to his friends and family.
