The late Friends star Matthew Perry is remembered by co-stars and peers from throughout his iconic career in a variety of heartfelt tributes.
Friends star Matthew Perry is being remembered in a series of heartfelt tributes. Perry is best known for playing the sardonic and lovable Chandler Bing on the long-running sitcom for all ten seasons, opposite his co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer , Matt LeBlanc, and Courteney Cox (who played Chandler’s eventual wife Monica Geller). On October 28, Perry was found dead of apparent drowning in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home.
After the news broke of Perry’s death, many stars have shared tributes to the iconic Friends cast member and the way he impacted their lives, whether he knew them or not. Included among them are his former Friends co-stars Maggie Wheeler (who played Chandler’s on-again-off-again girlfriend Janice), Morgan Fairchild (who played his mother), Selma Blair (who played his coworker Wendy), and Paget Brewster (who played his one-time girlfriend Kathy). The creators of Friends, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, as well as producer Kevin Bright have also released a statement following Perry’s death. Read their statement (via Deadline) and take a look at select tributes below:
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. 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.
Maggie Wheeler shared a photo of Chandler and Janice, saying “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 said Perry “was lovely to me on Friends and every time I saw him in the decades after,” asking people to “please read his book. It was his legacy to help.”
Morgan Fairchild said, “I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my ‘son,’ Matthew Perry. The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock.”
Selma Blair called Perry her “oldest boy friend” and shared that “I’m broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty.”
On the official Friends account, their tribute said that “he was a true gift to us all.”
SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said “I didn’t know him but as Chandler he will always be a “friend” May you RIP dear one.”
In her Instagram stories, Rumer Willis (the daughter of Perry’s Friends and The Whole Nine Yards co-star Bruce Willis) shared that “I know he had many challenges in his life and brought a lot of joy to people with his comedy… I hope he can rest peacefully.”
Gwyneth Paltrow said that “I am super sad today, as so many of us are. I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.”
Shannen Doherty, who was a main cast member on Beverly Hills, 90210, on which Perry appeared in a small role in season 1, said “he will be missed by many and definitely by us. Yes. I could be more poetic or say things better but right now, shock and sadness prevail.”
Alyssa Milano, who worked with Perry on Who’s the Boss?, said “Matty was always the funniest person in the room. And the KINDEST. He was kind.”
Perry’s The Odd Couple co-star Yvette Nicole Brown said he “was a sweetheart who deserved more peace in this life.”
The Odd Couple’s Thomas Lennon retweeted Brown’s post and then added “Matthew was also the best shoulder to lean on.”
The Office’s Rainn Wilson shared that “he was, and I use this term rarely, a genius. Chandler was one of the all-time great characters and his ability to spin a slightly funny line into absolute comedy gold was unsurpassed.”
Matthew Perry Touched The Lives of Many
While the world mourns the loss of Matthew Perry, both publicly and privately, these tributes are a reminder of how many lives he touched during his career, though it ended too soon. Despite his personal battle with addiction as related in his memoir Friends, Lovers , and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry used his skills to brighten the lives of so many people around him. This includes his multitudes of fans as well as his many co-stars and contemporaries.
The prominence of Friends afforded Perry (and the rest of the cast) the opportunity to work with some true legends in the industry. This included Brad Pitt, Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Danny DeVito, Susan Sarandon, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, and Perry’s former flame Julia Roberts. However, he also lent his talents to projects featuring up-and-coming stars like 17 Again with Zac Efron.
As these tributes prove, he was able to impress even veteran Hollywood performers with both his talent and his kindness. Matthew Perry will be remembered for the massive legacy he leaves behind, both on and offscreen. Though now is a time for grieving for his friends, family, and fans, he has contributed countless laughs to the world of pop culture.
