Tributes poured in celebrating the life of “Friends” star Matthew Perry after his sudden death Saturday afternoon.
Perry was found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home Saturday afternoon of an apparent drowning, law enforcement told the L.A. Times. He was 54.
Perry rose to fame as Chandler Bing on the hit TV show “Friends.” Despite going off the air in 2004, the show has remained wildly popular and continued to gain new fans thanks to streaming services.
“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,” Warner Brothers, the company that produced “Friends,” said in a statement posted on X, the website formerly known as Twitter.
NBC, the station that aired “Friends,” also issued a statement:
“We are incredibly saddened by the too-soon passing of Matthew Perry,” the network said in a statement sent to Reuters. “He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people around the world with his pitch perfect comedic timing and wry wit. His legacy will live on through countless generations.”
Perry struggled with drug and alcohol addiction during his career, and was open about his efforts to stay sober in his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.”
Law enforcement sourced told the L.A. Times no drugs were found at Perry’s home, and no foul play is suspected.
Tributes from fans, celebrities, and even prime ministers poured in on social media following the news of his death.
“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,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote on X.
The two attended school together in Perry’s native Canada.
Shannon Doherty, who was staring in Beverly Hills 90210 when Perry guest starred, shared a story about a memorable Valentine’s Day date the two shared.
“Matt and I had a date and it was on Valentine’s Day. He wanted to get a reservation at a restaurant in Malibu but couldn’t so my dad got the reservation for him. We went and he talked about my dads Irish persuasiveness the majority of the night,” the actress wrote on Instagram. “Our friendship spanned a long time.”
Perry was “always the funniest person in the room,” Alyssa Milano, who started in the movie “Dance ‘til Dawn” with Perry, wrote on Instagram.
“Matty, remember when we used to go play bingo at that church in the valley? You made me laugh that painful kind of laugh. A cry laugh. You made me cry-laugh,” she wrote.
Broadway star Laura Benanti, who started in the TV series “Go On” with Perry, wrote, “Matty was generous, brilliant and an unparalleled talent. What a devastating loss. May his memory be a blessing.”
Selma Blair, who appeared in a guest role on “Friends” for an episode, shared an emotional tribute.
“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,” Blair wrote on Instagram.
Rainn Wilson, who played Dwight on “The Office,” shared on Instagram: “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. Soar with the comedic angels, Matthew Perry. R.I.P.”
Even critics shared tributes.
“For 236 episodes of “Friends” spanning an entire decade, Matthew Perry fashioned one of the most memorable sitcom characters of his generation in Chandler Bing,” Richard Roeper, a film and television critic for the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote on X. “But outside that apartment and the coffee shop, Matthew always seemed to be fighting multiple battles. RIP good sir.”
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