Friends actor Matthew Perry, 54, died of an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home on Saturday. His character Chandler Bing in the Warner Bros’ show Friends was loved for his sarcasm and wry humour. About the passing of Perry, Warner Bros TV, which bankrolled Friends, said in a statement, “We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.”
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Matthew Perry was born on August 19, 1969, to actor John Bennett Perry and Canadian journalist Suzanne Marie Morrison. His parents divorced before his first birthday. While he was raised by his mother in the initial years, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in the entertainment industry, like his father.
The actor got his break in the 1987 show Second Chance, where he played the lead part of Chazz. The following year, he made his big screen debut with A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon. He also has shows like Sydney, Call Me Anna, The West Wing, and The Odd Couple, and films like 17 Again, Numb, Birds of America, and Almost Heroes, among others to his credit.
Matthew Perry, over the years, and more recently in his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, opened up about his years of struggle with alcohol and drug addiction. He also shared how in 2018, he nearly died after his colon burst from opioid abuse. He had to spend five months in the hospital and was in a coma for many weeks.
Also starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow, Friends launched in 1994 and ran successfully for a decade, making all these actors household names. Read less
Besides Friends, Matthew Perry was also seen in the shows The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Mr Sunshine, Go On, and The Odd Couple. He also featured in films like Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards, The Ron Clark Story, and 17 Again.
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Actress Maggie Wheeler who played the role of Janice on Friends and played the girlfriend of Chandler (played by Matthew), mourned his loss.
“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,” Maggie wrote along with a photo featuring both of them.
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Rohit Bose Roy posted on Instagram, "I guess no one was there when he needed them ? Such is life … bye, my dearest ‘friend’ ? But this is not done ……. #gonewaytoosoon #mathewperry."
Sargun Mehta remembered Matthew Perry's character Chandler Bing and posted on Instagram, "Not getting over this anytime soon.. i love chandler ♥? ? RIP MATTHEW PERRY."
Vir Das' note on social media read, "In most great comedy scenes there’s a character who IS the audience. Very tough character to pull off. Matthew Perry was that on Friends. The one who, like us, sees how idiotic this all is. Super hard to combine that with being silly yourself. He walked that line perfectly."
Vivek Ranjan Agnihotri shared via X, "Happiness is sad today. 54 is no age for FRIENDS to go. RIP #MatthewPerry."
Siddhanth Kapoor shared on Instagram, "Heartbroken ? , gone to soon ! Thank you so much for making the world laugh and smile. RIP ♥?."
Abhishek Bachchan posted on Twitter, "To the man who brought so much joy to our screens and our hearts. Rest in peace Matthew Perry."
Matthew Perry — the beloved Friends actor — has sadly passed away at the age of 54, leaving the world in mourning. He was discovered unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. However, what most people don’t know about Perry is that behind the cool demeanor of his character Chandler Bing, there was a person battling with drug abuse, alcohol addiction and anxiety. READ MORE HERE.
Actor Celina Jaitly shared on X, "Dear @MatthewPerry absolutely shocked to hear of your passing…. Too soon to say goodbye Thank you for lighting up our lives through CHANDLER BING !! Rest in peace & sarcasm (that’s what you would say ) Fan & Friend forever!!!! ? #matthewperry #friends #celinajaitly #celinajaitley."
A fan @KatieMcElhoney shared a clip on X and wrote, "Instead of thinking about how Matthew Perry passed away alone, let’s think of it like this scene, with Chandler Bing’s iconic last line of Friends. He was happy & he’d had some time for coffee and a catch up with his friends before he had to leave them? #friends #matthewperry."
Laura Benanti, who shared screen space with Matthew Perry in the show Go On, shared on Twitter, “Matty was generous, brilliant and an unparalleled talent. What a devastating loss. May his memory be a blessing.”
Venkatesh took to X and wrote, "The world is a little less funny without Chandler Bing. Rest in peace, dear friend.?? #MatthewPerry."
Matthew Perry, over the years, and more recently in his memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, opened up about his years of struggle with alcohol and drug addiction. READ MORE HERE.
Humour was not only a defense mechanism for Matthew Perry’s character, Chandler, on Friends, but it also defined his real-life persona. READ MORE HERE.
Ronit Roy took to his Instagram stories and wrote, "Absolutely shocked at hearing this news. #mattewperry passes by drowning at his LA home. Sir you have entertained generations including my children and I thank you for that. R.I.P."
"As if the news we wake up to everyday right now isn’t bad enough… now this???Been reading his autobiography and this is just heartbreaking. Thank you for all the laughs & your incredible talent #matthewperry .. May you finally rest in peace though the world has lost a gem," Sophie Choudry via X.
Star Trek's George Takei wrote on X, "What a tragic piece of news to read. My heart goes out to his loved ones and long time cast mates."
Morgan Fairchild, who played Matthew Perry's mom on Friends, wrote on X, "I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my 'son', Matthew Perry. The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock. I’m sending love & condolences to his friends & family, especially his dad, John Bennett Perry, who I worked with on Flamingo Road & Falcon Crest. #RIPMatthew."
Octavia Spencer took to Instagram and wrote, “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.”
NBC, which aired Friends from 1994 to 2004, said in a statement, "We are incredibly saddened by the too soon passing of Matthew Perry. 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.”
Warner Bros TV, which bankrolled Friends, said in a statement, "We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau posted on X, "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."
"RIP Matthew Perry, 54. The Friends star was a great actor, but by his own admission, a very tormented guy. His recent autobiography about his addiction-ravaged life was one of the most powerful, honest and revealing I’ve ever read. Such sad news," Piers Morgan said via X.
Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice in Friends, tweeted, “What a loss. The world will miss you Matthew 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.”
Meredith Salenger, who shared screen space with Matthew Perry in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, said on X, 'Oh no no no no no! Matty! Oh man. My heart breaks. Matty... Matthew and I have known each other since were were 16 years old. Oh man. No words. Rest in peace sweet @MatthewPerry.'
Chad Lowe posted on X, "So sad to learn about Matthew Perry’s death. He was one of the funniest people I knew. It was hard to watch him struggle with his alcoholism over the years. But he was courageous in the fight and helped a lot of people by going public with his battles. He was loved by so many."
Yvette Nicole Brown, who shared screen space with Matthew Perry in the show Odd Couple, shared on X, "Our #OddCouple family suffered a great loss today. The entire entertainment world has. I am too sad about the news to say more than this: @mattyperry4 was a sweetheart who deserved more peace in this life. 54 is too young to go. We love you, Matty! #RIPMatthewPerry."
Selma Blair took to Instagram and wrote, "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."
Paget Brewster, who featured in six episodes of Friends, wrote on X, "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."
Mira Sorvino, who shared screen space with Matthew Perry in the 1994 TV movie Parallel Lives, tweeted, "Oh no!!! Matthew Perry!! You sweet, troubled soul!! May you find peace and happiness in Heaven, making everyone laugh with your singular wit!!!"