Matthew Perry: Tributes from Celebrities, ‘Friends’ Creators
Following the death of Matthew Perry over the weekend, tributes poured in from fans and famous celebrity friends.
As we previously reported, the dispatch call made in response to the Friends actor’s death references “drowning” after Perry, 54, was found dead in a jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home on Saturday (October 28). First responders were sent to Perry’s home after receiving a cardiac arrest call, where he was discovered unresponsive. No drugs or foul play were found at the scene. The Los Angeles County Coroner has conducted an autopsy and is awaiting toxicology testing to determine the cause of death.
The co-creators of the Friends, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, and executive producer Kevin Bright reacted to the news in a statement to Fox News Digital. They said, “We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. 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.”
They added, “It’s a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words. From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us. 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.”
Friends Paying Tribute to Perry
Gwyneth Paltrow, who Perry claimed to have made out with once in the early ’90s in his memoir, shared a photo of the actor on Instagram. She recalled in her caption that she met Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts. “We were both there for most of the summer doing plays,” she wrote. “He was so funny and so sweet and so much fun to be with. We drove out to swim in creeks, had beers in the local college bar, kissed in a field of long grass. It was a magical summer. He had shot the pilot of ‘Friends,’ but it had not aired yet. He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was. We stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart, but I was always happy to see him when I did.”
Shannen Doherty, who was a longtime friend of Perry’s, shared a photo with him and Roger Castillo on Instagram. She captioned the sweet post, “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. 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.” She went on to say she and Matt had a Valentine’s date once. Doherty added their friendship spanned a “lifetime.” She concluded the post by saying, “Yes. I could be more poetic or say things better but right now, shock and sadness prevail.”
Heartfelt Tributes
Castillo made a post of his own honoring Perry. He wrote, “From Halloween 1988 to 2023 and everything in between. The best times of my life. I’ll miss you so much. Love you my brother. Thanks for everything. [broken heart emoji]”
Meanwhile, Octavia Spencer shared on Instagram, “I’m incredibly saddened to hear of Matthew Perry’s passing today. His gift to the world will be remembered forever. Sending love to Matthew’s family, friends, co-stars and millions of fans around the world.”
Selma Blair shared a photo with Perry on Instagram, writing, “My oldest boy friend. All of us loved Matthew Perry, and I did especially. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I’m broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty. Sweet dreams.”
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