Matthew Perry death: Friends co-stars break silence with joint statement

30 October 2023, 22:55 | Updated: 31 October 2023, 10:33

By Alice Dear

Friends actors Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc have paid tribute to their friend and co-star following his shocking death.

The cast of Friends have broken their silence on the death of Matthew Perry after the actor was found dead at his LA home on Saturday, 28th October.

Jennifer Aniston, Courtney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc have remained silent since the passing of their beloved friend was announced, but have now shared their own emotional and heartbreaking tribute to Matthew.

In a joint statement released to People magazine on Monday, the Friends cast said: "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew.

"We were more than just castmates. 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. 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."

Friends star Matthew Perry found dead aged 54

Jennifer (Rachel), Courtney (Monica), Lisa (Phoebe), Matt (Joey) and David (Ross) starred alongside Matthew Perry for ten years on the hit sitcom which ran from 1994 to 2004.

In 2021, the six main cast members reunited for the first time in years for a TV special which was titled Friends: The Reunion.

During the special, the cast became emotional as they walked around the old set of the show and reminisced about the moments they shared both on the show and behind-the-scenes.

Matthew died on 28th October at his home in LA, and while it was reported he died from apparent drowning, the initial post-mortem came back as 'inconclusive' as investigations continue into the actor's cause of death.

The actor's family broke their silence on his death on 29th October in a statement which read: "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. 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."

Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice on Friends, was one of the first people from the cast to pay tribute to Matthew, sharing the following message on social media: "What a loss. 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. ♥️"

Paget Brewster, who played Chandler's girlfriend Kathy on the sitcom, also wrote: "I’m so very sad to hear about @MatthewPerry. He was lovely to me on Friends and every time I saw him in the decades after. Please read his book. It was his legacy to help. He won’t rest in peace though.. He’s already too busy making everyone laugh up there."

Meanwhile, the official Friends X page (formerly known as Twitter) wrote: "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."