'Friends' cast releases joint statement honoring late co-star Matthew Perry
The "Friends" cast has released a joint statement in the wake of Matthew Perry's death.
In the statement shared with ABC News, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc paid tribute to their late co-star and friend, who died Saturday at the age of 54, according to law enforcement sources.
Perry was known for playing Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom, which ran from 1994 to 2004.
"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family," their statement reads. "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," the statement continues. "For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."
The "Friends" cast remained close following the show's series finale and reunited onscreen in the 2021 special, "Friends: The Reunion."
"Friends" co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright also issued a statement honoring Perry. Their statement read, "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," the statement continued. "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," they added.
A photo of Perry was also shared to the "Friends" Instagram account, along with a message describing the late actor as, "a true gift to us all."
In a statement Sunday, the LAPD said Perry "was discovered by a witness unresponsive in his jacuzzi" on Saturday at around 4 p.m. PT. "The Los Angeles City Fire Department responded to the scene and pronounced Perry deceased," the LAPD statement said.
"Due to the celebrity status of Mr. Perry, Detectives from Robbery Homicide Division responded to the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation," the LAPD's statement continued. "Although there were no obvious signs of trauma, the official cause of Perry's death is pending the coroner's investigation."
The LA County coroner confirmed Sunday to ABC News that an autopsy was performed. Perry's cause of death is pending while they wait for toxicology results, which could take weeks.
