Matthew Perry death – latest: Friends main cast pay tribute to beloved co-star in joint statement
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The results of Matthew Perry’s initial post-mortem report are “inconclusive”, as tributes continue to pour in for the Friends actor, who died suddenly at his Los Angeles home on Saturday (28 October).
The American-Canadian star, best known for his portrayal of sarcastic joker Chandler Bing in Friends, died in an apparent drowning in his hot tub. A 911 call captured a small portion of the police response.
In the wake of his death, heartbroken fans and Perry’s Hollywood colleagues alike have come together to honour his life and legacy – praising his comic genius, kindess, and resilience in the face of great personal upheaval.
As of Monday (30 October), the actor’s cause of death remains unclear amid “inconclusive” post-mortem results, with further investigations underway.
After Perry’s death, his family released a statement to People, saying: “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”
The five other core Friends stars – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer – shared a joint statement on Monday, saying they were “utterly devastated”.
Key points
Matthew Perry 911 call audio released as cause of death probed
Friends lead stars share joint statement on Matthew Perry’s death: ‘We are all so utterly devastated’
Remembering Matthew Perry’s iconic final line in Friends
Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice in ‘Friends', mourns Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry opened up about his struggles while filming 'Friends’
Matthew Perry, the comic genius who wore his big, bruised heart on his sleeve
Matthew Perry’s ex-fiancee says Friends star had ‘profound impact’ on her
11:22 , Isobel Lewis
Literary manager Molly Hurwitz, who was engaged to Matthew Perry between 2020 and 2021, has paid tribute to the late Friends star.
In a statement on Instagram, Hurwitz wrote that “no one in my adult life has had a more profound impact on me” than Perry.
She expressed “tremendous gratitude” for their time together and “everything I learned from our relationship”.
Matthew Perry’s ex-fiancee says Friends star had a ‘profound impact’ on her
The West Wing shows us the great dramatic career Matthew Perry never had
10:45 , Isobel Lewis
In his column The Moment, The Independent’s Louis Chilton argues that The West Wing is the greatest example of Matthew Perry’s potential as an actor away from comedy:
Matthew Perry played pickleball hours before his death, coach says
08:49 , Isobel Lewis
Matthew Perry reportedly played a pickleball match just hours before his death on Saturday, his friend and coach has said.
Matt Manasse told People that Perry had been on the court playing the racket sport that morning, during which the Friends star was “doing really well”.
Perry had played his match with another coach, who had been the first person Manasse contacted when news of Perry’s death was made public.
“She said, ‘Yeah, he’d come out,’” he recalled. “She didn’t say how long but said he’d been doing really well on court, which wasn’t a surprise.”
Voices: My favourite Chandler Bing scene wasn’t just funny. It shows Matthew Perry’s poignant impact
07:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar
In the wake of Perry’s death, fans have shared how much he made them laugh. Watching an artist perfectly slide into a performance brings such meaningful joy, writes Clémence Michallon:
My favourite Chandler Bing scene shows Matthew Perry at his funniest
‘Friends kind of saved my life’: Grieving fans flock to New York apartment to mourn Matthew Perry
06:45 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Outside the famous Friends apartment in New York City’s West Village, one fan left a heartbreaking message in black Sharpie on a cardboard cutout, still legible despite the rain. “Friends was the answer and solution for my anxiety before I even had a word for that feeling,” they wrote.
Crowds of people have flocked to the corner of Grove Street and Bedford Street to pay their respects to Matthew Perry, whose death on Saturday shocked the world. At the bottom of the intersection’s stop sign, outside the well-known apartment building exterior used as an establishing shot throughout the show’s 10 seasons, lay a beautiful collection of bouquets and several handwritten notes.
“All I knew is that whenever I had big feelings, I could pop in a VHS boxset of a given season in the VCR and not just feel okay, but even laugh,” reads one note. “As reliable as a true friend, 20 years later, Friends is still my comfort show. Thank you, Matty, for making me feel peace and joy, from middle school to my mid-thirties.”
One fan who was visiting from Los Angeles, Aimee Sanchez, 31, said: “We saw that there was all these people bringing flowers, and we wanted to visit before going home.” Her plane touched down in New York just hours before the news of Perry’s death broke, she said. “It was really sad. I cried. Whenever I’m nervous, or I just feel stressed, I always go back to the show, and that’s why I’ve watched it so many times. It’s my comfort show.”
Despite ending nearly 20 years ago in 2004, the show about six young friends in Manhattan – Chandler (Perry), Rachel (Jennifer Aniston), Joey (Matt LeBlanc), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow), Monica (Courteney Cox) and Ross (David Schwimmer) – has transcended generations.
Grieving Friends fans flock to New York apartment to pay tribute to Matthew Perry
Video: Matthew Perry reveals he 'legally died for five minutes' in resurfaced clip
06:19 , Tom Murray
Former Saturday Night Live writer slammed for joking about Matthew Perry’s death
05:53 , Tom Murray
Former Saturday Night Live writer Kevin Brennan has been widely criticised for joking about Perry’s death.
Following the announcement of Perry’s death, comedian Brennan – who wrote for SNL’s Weekend Update segment from 1999 to 2000 – posted a tweet laughing at the TMZ headline about the news.
The “disgusting” post prompted fury from fans, with one Twitter/X user questioning: “What the hell is wrong with you?” Another echoed: “This is gross, dude.”
“These words are utterly ridiculous for you to drum up the nerve to say at such a sensitive time for his family. Shame on you,” one commenter wrote.
However, Brennan doubled down, posting in response: “I didn’t mock it. I just thought it was funny.” On Sunday night, he tweeted: “Am I trending yet?”
Hank Azaria says Matthew Perry helped him get sober
05:21 , Tom Murray
The Simpsons voice actor Azaria paid tribute to Perry after the news of his death.
The 59-year-old comedian and actor starred as Phoebe Buffay’s boyfriend David in Friends, while Perry played Chandler Bing.
“I’m a sober guy for 17 years. I want to say that the night I went into AA, Matthew brought me in.
“The whole first year I was sober, we went to meetings together and he was such a great – I got to tell him this. As a sober person he was so caring and giving and wise and he totally helped me get sober.”
Hank Azaria says Matthew Perry helped him get sober: He was so caring and giving
‘Friends kind of saved my life’: Grieving fans flock to New York apartment to mourn Matthew Perry
04:55 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Outside the famous Friends apartment in New York City’s West Village, one fan left a heartbreaking message in black Sharpie on a cardboard cutout, still legible despite the rain. “Friends was the answer and solution for my anxiety before I even had a word for that feeling,” they wrote.
Crowds of people have flocked to the corner of Grove Street and Bedford Street to pay their respects to Matthew Perry, whose death on Saturday shocked the world. At the bottom of the intersection’s stop sign, outside the well-known apartment building exterior used as an establishing shot throughout the show’s 10 seasons, lay a beautiful collection of bouquets and several handwritten notes.
“All I knew is that whenever I had big feelings, I could pop in a VHS boxset of a given season in the VCR and not just feel okay, but even laugh,” reads one note. “As reliable as a true friend, 20 years later, Friends is still my comfort show. Thank you, Matty, for making me feel peace and joy, from middle school to my mid-thirties.”
One fan who was visiting from Los Angeles, Aimee Sanchez, 31, said: “We saw that there was all these people bringing flowers, and we wanted to visit before going home.” Her plane touched down in New York just hours before the news of Perry’s death broke, she said. “It was really sad. I cried. Whenever I’m nervous, or I just feel stressed, I always go back to the show, and that’s why I’ve watched it so many times. It’s my comfort show.”
Read the full piece here:
Grieving Friends fans flock to New York apartment to pay tribute to Matthew Perry
Matthew Perry, the comic genius who wore his big, bruised heart on his sleeve
04:24 , Tom Murray
Throughout his career, Perry brought talent in spades and, after his 10-year stint on Friends, oceans of goodwill. Fiona Sturges pays tribute:
Matthew Perry, the comic genius who wore his big, bruised heart on his sleeve
Salma Hayek remembers ‘special bond’ with Fools Rush In co-star Matthew Perry
03:55 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Salma Hayek has said she will cherish the “silliness, perseverance, and lovely heart” of her late Fools Rush In co-star Matthew Perry.
While best known for playing witty and sarcastic Chandler Bing on hit sitcom Friends, Perry had described his starring role in the 1997 romantic comedy as “probably his best movie”.
Tributes from the entertainment world, including from the creators and supporting stars of Friends, have poured in since the news of Perry’s death aged 54 on Saturday.
Salma Hayek remembers ‘special bond’ with Fools Rush In co-star Matthew Perry
- PA
How Matthew Perry confronted his drug addiction, and spent his life urging others to seek help
03:25 , Tom Murray
Matthew Perry made no secret of his addiction struggles over the years, writing candidly about his substance abuse and attempts to stay sober in his affecting memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
Released in 2021, the book chronicled the exacerbation of Perry’s addiction under the “white-hot flame of fame” after he shot to international stardom, aged 24, as the wise-cracking Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom Friends.
“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name,” he wrote in the book’s opening passage. “My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”
In the book, Perry recalled drinking heavily through the first two seasons of Friends, although he said he was never drunk or high on set, and then becoming addicted to the opiate pain medication Vicodin after a jet ski accident while filming Fools Rush In with Salma Hayek in 1996.
By the end of the 10th series of Friends, Perry became “entrenched in a lot of trouble”, he revealed years later.
Read more:
Matthew Perry initial post-mortem released as Friend stars pays tribute – latest
Friends lead stars share joint statement on Matthew Perry’s death: ‘We are all so utterly devastated’
02:58 , Maroosha Muzaffar
The lead stars of Friends have paid emotional tribute to Matthew Perry in a joint statement shared two days after the Chandler Bing actor was found dead, aged 54.
Courteney Cox, who played Perry’s on-screen wife Monica, as well as Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Matt LeBlanc, joined forces to share a statement after the actor was found unresponsive having reportedly drowned in his hot tub at his LA home.
In a statement to People on Monday (30 October), the stars wrote: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. 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. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Having achieved stardom as the sardonic but loveable Chandler in the hugely popular sitcom, which launched in 1994 and ran for 10 seasons, Perry’s struggles with drugs and alcohol were well documented.
Read the full piece here:
Friends cast issue joint statement on Matthew Perry’s death: ‘We are so devastated’
Former Saturday Night Live writer slammed for joking about Matthew Perry’s death
02:29 , Tom Murray
Former Saturday Night Live writer Kevin Brennan has been widely criticised for joking about Perry’s death.
Following the announcement of Perry’s death, comedian Brennan – who wrote for SNL’s Weekend Update segment from 1999 to 2000 – posted a tweet laughing at the TMZ headline about the news.
The “disgusting” post prompted fury from fans, with one Twitter/X user questioning: “What the hell is wrong with you?” Another echoed: “This is gross, dude.”
“These words are utterly ridiculous for you to drum up the nerve to say at such a sensitive time for his family. Shame on you,” one commenter wrote.
However, Brennan doubled down, posting in response: “I didn’t mock it. I just thought it was funny.” On Sunday night, he tweeted: “Am I trending yet?”
How Matthew Perry made his own Friends in the writers’ room
01:29 , Tom Murray
In the wake of Matthew Perry’s tragic death, fans and collaborators of the 54-year-old actor have reflected on the star’s comic talents beyond the stage.
Despite Friends producers having kept an open door policy to the writers’ room, only Perry regularly contributed to scripts – often happily pitching up to ten jokes an episode while his co-stars unwound backstage.
Nicole Vassell reports:
How Matthew Perry made his own Friends in the writers’ room
Video: Charlie Puth crowd sings Friends theme in tribute to Matthew Perry
00:34 , Tom Murray
Friends fans visit show’s NYC apartment to pay their respects
Monday 30 October 2023 23:48 , Tom Murray
My New York-based colleague Inga Parkel has been in the West Village this afternoon speaking to people who gathered outside the building used to portray the famous Friends apartment.
“Crowds of people have flocked to the corner of Grove Street and Bedford Street to pay their respects to Matthew Perry,” she writes.
“At the bottom of the intersection’s stop sign, outside the well-known apartment building exterior used as an establishing shot throughout the show’s 10 seasons, lay a beautiful collection of bouquets and several handwritten notes.”
Thitikamol Kaeokhieo, a 23-year-old Thai national who lives in Chicago told her Friends “kind of saved my life”.
“I’m here, far away from my family and friends in Thailand, so sometimes it’s really lonely,” they said.
Read more:
Grieving Friends fans flock to New York apartment to pay tribute to Matthew Perry
BREAKING: Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer share joint statement
Monday 30 October 2023 22:37 , Tom Murray
In a statement sent to People on Monday (30 October), the Friends stars wrote: “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. 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. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Friends cast issue joint statement on Matthew Perry’s death: ‘We are so devastated’
Max adds tribute card for Perry at the start of each season of ‘Friends'
Monday 30 October 2023 21:38 , Tom Murray
HBO’s streaming service, Max, has added a tribute card that appears at the start of every season of Friends on its platform.
“In memory of Matthew Perry 1969-2023,” reads the card, which flashes on screen for approximately five seconds before the famous Friends opening sequence. All 10 seasons of Friends are currently available to stream on Max in the US. UK viewers can watch all 10 seasons on Netflix.
Max has added a lovely message dedicated to Matthew Perry before each season of Friends. pic.twitter.com/DZefRu2VNI
— no context chandler bing (@NoContxtBing) October 30, 2023
Perry’s family’s statement in full
Monday 30 October 2023 21:05 , Tom Murray
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” Perry’s family wrote in a statement. “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.”
They added: “You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”
Perry was raised by his father, John Bennett Perry, mother, Suzanne Morrison, and stepfather, Dateline journalist Keith Morrison. He has five siblings.
Salma Hayek shares beautiful tribute to ‘Fools Rush In’ co-star Perry
Monday 30 October 2023 20:38 , Tom Murray
Salma Hayek has shared a touching tribute to Perry, with whom she co-starred in the 1997 rom-com, Fools Rush In.
She shared a throwback photo of the two of them on Instagram alongside the caption: “Two days ago, I woke up to the shocking news that Matthew Perry is no longer with us. It’s taken me a couple of days to process this profound sadness. There is a special bond that happens when you share dreams with someone, and together you work towards them. I was very moved last year when Matthew shared on his Instagram Stories how much he loved Fools Rush In, and how he thought that that film we did together was probably his best movie.
“Throughout the years, he and I found ourselves reminiscing about that meaningful time in our lives with a deep sense of nostalgia and gratitude. My friend, you are gone much too soon, but I will continue to cherish your silliness, your perseverance, and your lovely heart. Farewell, sweet Matthew, we will never forget you.”
Listen: Matthew Perry 911 call audio released
Monday 30 October 2023 20:22 , Tom Murray
Right-wing figures try to blame Matthew Perry’s death on Covid vaccine
Monday 30 October 2023 19:31 , Tom Murray
Kandiss Taylor, a former Republican candidate for governor of Georgia and current GOP chair of Georgia’s first congressional district, wrote in response to news of Perry’s death: “What??? Was he vaccinated?”
Anti-vaxxers also allegedly edited Mr Perry’s Wikipedia page to say, “It is unclear whether the drowning was due to complications from the COVID-19 vaccine.” The unfounded claim has since been deleted, the Rolling Stone reported.
Anti-vax accounts on X have previously falsely linked celebrity deaths to the Covid-19 vaccine.
In January, conspiracy theorists attempted to link the death of Elvis Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie Presley to vaccines after she was found in cardiac arrest at her home, but X users were quick to condemn the comment.
Vaccines have been linked to heart problems such as Myocarditis, which can cause cardiac arrest, but it is extremely rare.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has estimated that between the ages of 18 and 29, it affects no more than 11.6 vaccinated young men per 100,000 – that is, around 0.01 per cent.
Read more:
Right-wing figures try to blame Matthew Perry’s death on Covid vaccine
VOICES: My favourite Chandler Bing scene shows Matthew Perry at his funniest
Monday 30 October 2023 19:05 , Tom Murray
In the wake of Perry’s death, fans have shared how much he made them laugh. Watching an artist perfectly slide into a performance brings such meaningful joy, writes Clémence Michallon.
Read more:
My favourite Chandler Bing scene shows Matthew Perry at his funniest
Matthew Perry’s autopsy completed
Monday 30 October 2023 18:40 , Tom Murray
Matthew Perry’s autopsy is complete, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office has confirmed.
The Friends star’s cause of death has been listed as “deferred” on the coroner’s website as it awaits a toxicology report, which can take weeks.
“In cases where the cause of death cannot be determined at the time of autopsy, a deferred certificate will be issued until additional studies have been completed,” the LA coroner’s guidelines state.
Read more:
Matthew Perry’s autopsy is complete
Gwyneth Paltrow reveals ‘magical summer’ romance with Matthew Perry
Monday 30 October 2023 18:20 , Tom Murray
Gwyneth Paltrow has remembered how Perry “hoped his break was around the corner” when she met him in 1993 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts, in a touching tribute on Instagram.
Alongside a photograph of Perry taken in the Noughties, she wrote: “We were both there for most of the summer doing plays. 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,” the Iron Man actor continued. “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.”
After their brief romance, Paltrow wrote, “we stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart”.
Read more:
Gwyneth Paltrow recalls ‘magical summer’ with Matthew Perry
Video: Matthew Perry horrified by Miriam Margolyes's shocking story in resurfaced footage
Monday 30 October 2023 17:47 , Tom Murray
Matthew Perry once said Jennifer Aniston ‘reached out the most’
Monday 30 October 2023 16:27 , Tom Murray
Matthew Perry once recalled that Jennifer Aniston kept in close contact with him throughout the ups and downs of his journey towards sobriety.
“She was the one that reached out the most. You know, I’m really grateful to her for that,” Perry told ABC News’s Diane Sawyer in an October 2022 interview.
He further revealed that Aniston was the first castmate to confront him about his alcoholism while filming the series, which ran from 1994 to 2004.
Read more:
Matthew Perry said Jennifer Aniston ‘reached out the most’ during sobriety struggle
Fergie remembers ‘brilliant’ Matthew Perry with throwback picture of Friends cameo
Monday 30 October 2023 16:02 , Tom Murray
Sarah Ferguson has praised the “brilliant” Matthew Perry in a tribute to the actor.
On Sunday, the Duchess of York posted photos of herself with the cast members of the hit 90s sitcom in which she had a cameo.
In 1998, Ferguson appeared in the season 4 episode “The One with Ross’s Wedding” which was set in London.
“It is a tragedy to lose you so early in life, rest in peace dear Matthew... you have given so much joy and laughter to so many,” Ferguson said.
Read more:
Sarah Ferguson remembers ‘brilliant’ Matthew Perry with picture of Friends cameo
From the archives: Matthew Perry was rejected by Jennifer Aniston years before ‘Friends'
Monday 30 October 2023 15:00 , Inga Parkel
In his poignant memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry recounted the time he was rejected by Aniston.
The pair met through mutual acquaintances three years before they starred together on the hit sitcom from 1994 to 2004.
“I was immediately taken by her (how could I not be?) and liked her, and I got the sense she was intrigued too – maybe it was going to be something,” he wrote in his book.
At the time, Perry had just found out he’d got a part in a sitcom and called Aniston, telling her: “‘You’re the first person I wanted to tell this to.’
“Bad idea,” he wrote. “I could feel ice forming through the phone. Looking back, it was clear that this made her think I liked her too much or in the wrong kind of way… and I only compounded the error by then asking her out.
Read more:
Matthew Perry was rejected by Jennifer Aniston years before filming Friends
‘She said that she’d love to be friends with me, and I blurted out, “We can’t be friends!”’ actor recalled
Matthew Perry 911 call audio released as cause of death probed
Monday 30 October 2023 14:30 , Inga Parkel
A 911 call made from Matthew Perry’s Los Angeles home on the night he died references “drowning” just before first responders arrived to find the actor unresponsive in a jacuzzi.
Perry, the actor best known for his role of Chandler Bing on Friends, was found dead in his jacuzzi in his Pacific Palisades neighborhood on Saturday. He was 54.
In the dispatch audio obtained by TMZ, a man can be heard saying, “Agent 23. Rescue 23. EMS 9 on the radio. In response to the drowning.” Other bits of the 16-minute clip were bleeped out.
Yellow caution tape was put up around the home, but law enforcement sources told TMZ no drugs were found at the scene and no foul play is suspected.
His official cause of death is still under investigation.
Fans lay tributes to Matthew Perry outside Friends apartment in New York City
Monday 30 October 2023 14:00 , Inga Parkel
Hank Azaria says Matthew Perry helped him get sober as he pays tribute to late friend
Monday 30 October 2023 13:30 , Maanya Sachdeva
Gwyneth Paltrow recalls ‘magical summer’ with Perry in touching tribute
Monday 30 October 2023 13:15 , Maanya Sachdeva
Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow has shared a touching tribute to Matthew Perry on social media, recalling the “magical summer” they spent together 20 years ago.
Paltrow said she met Perry in 1993, when the pair were doing plays at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts.
Alongisde a photograph of Perry, 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.”
She continued: “We stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart, but I was always happy to see him when I did. I am super sad today, as so many of us are. I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.”
Perry and Paltrow dated briefly in the Nineties, with the Friends star reflecting on their brief romance in the summer of 1993, before the hit sitcom catapulted him to stardom.
Watch: Matthew Perry says he was ‘only one’ who wanted to be in Friends writers room
Monday 30 October 2023 12:53 , Maanya Sachdeva
David Baddiel praises Perry’s ‘distinctive comic delivery’ in tribute
Monday 30 October 2023 12:40 , Maanya Sachdeva
Paying tribute to the Friends star, English comedian David Baddiel said: “It’s quite rare in a sitcom to see someone who’s got a very distinctive comic delivery.
“All those actors were brilliant at landing jokes, but Matthew Perry had a way of spinning lines so that he would land with different emphasis.
“That’s a very clever way of playing with language that I normally associate with great stand-ups.”
How Matthew Perry made his own Friends in the writers’ room
Monday 30 October 2023 12:30 , Maanya Sachdeva
In the wake of Matthew Perry’s tragic death, fans and collaborators of the 54-year-old actor have reflected on the star’s comic talents beyond the stage.
Despite Friends producers having kept an open door policy to the writers’ room, only Perry regularly contributed to scripts – often happily pitching up to ten jokes an episode while his co-stars unwound backstage.
Nicole Vassell reports:
How Matthew Perry made his own Friends in the writers’ room
Charlie Puth pays tribute to Matthew Perry as he performs Friends theme on stage
Monday 30 October 2023 12:00 , Isobel Lewis
Singer Charlie Puth joined the chorus of tributes to Perry while performing in Australia over the weekend.
The “We Don’t Talk Anymore” singer was preparing to perform at the 7,500-capacity Margaret Court Arena in Melbourne on Sunday (29 October) when the news of Perry’s death broke.
In response, longtime Friends fan Puth took to the stage and played “I’ll Be There For You”, the instantly recognisable Friends theme composed by US rock duo The Rembrandts.
Friends fans remember Matthew Perry with the sitcom’s immortal theme tune
Former Saturday Night Live writer slammed for joking about Matthew Perry’s death
Monday 30 October 2023 11:38 , Isobel Lewis
Former Saturday Night Live writer Kevin Brennan has been widely criticised for joking about Perry’s death.
Following the announcement of Perry’s death, comedian Brennan – who wrote for SNL’s Weekend Update segment from 1999 to 2000 – posted a tweet laughing at the TMZ headline about the news.
The “disgusting” post prompted fury from fans, with one Twitter/X user questioning: “What the hell is wrong with you?” Another echoed: “This is gross, dude.”
“These words are utterly ridiculous for you to drum up the nerve to say at such a sensitive time for his family. Shame on you,” one commenter wrote.
However, Brennan doubled down, posting in response: “I didn’t mock it. I just thought it was funny.” On Sunday night, he tweeted: “Am I trending yet?”
Opening line of Matthew Perry memoir takes on heartbreaking new light in wake of Friends star’s death
Monday 30 October 2023 10:53 , Maanya Sachdeva
Matthew Perry’s fans are revisiting the opening line of his memoir, which has taken on a new significance in the wake of his sudden death.
Paying tribute to the beloved Friends star, fans are sharing the excerpt from Perry’s book Friends, Lovers, and the Big on social media.
The book chronicles how Perry’s addiction struggles grew under the “white-hot flame of fame” after he shot to international stardom, aged 24, playing Chandler.
Read the full story here:
Matthew Perry’s memoir opening line takes on heartbreaking new light
Initial post-mortem results ‘inconclusive’ as Perry’s cause of death under investigation
Monday 30 October 2023 10:13 , Maanya Sachdeva
The results of Matthew Perry’s initial post-mortem are “unconclusive”, with further investigations underway to determine the actor’s cause of death.
Officials are currently waiting for the results of a toxicology tests, and a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department told CBS News there were “no obvious signs of trauma” after Perry was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi at his home on Saturday (28 October).
Seven of the biggest revelations from Matthew Perry’s memoir
Monday 30 October 2023 09:29 , Maanya Sachdeva
Matthew Perry’s fans are revisiting the Friends star’s memoir, written almost exactly one year before his sudden death on Saturday 28 October.
Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing came out on 1 November 2022, and in it, Perry wrote about his famous past relationships and his time on the hit sitcom that made him famous around the world.
Here are seven of the biggest revelations from Perry’s book:
Seven of the biggest revelations from Matthew Perry’s memoir
‘He brought so much joy’: Friends stars honour Matthew Perry
Monday 30 October 2023 09:14 , Maanya Sachdeva
Stars such as Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice on the hit Noughties sitcom, and Morgan Fairchild, who portrayed Chandler’s mom Nora Bing, are among the Friends castmates who have paid tribute to Matthew Perry.
Read more here:
Heartbroken Friends stars among those paying tribute to Matthew Perry
Kathleen Turner ‘very sad for Matthew’: ‘He had a good heart’
Monday 30 October 2023 08:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Kathleen Turner says in a new interview that she is “very sad for Matthew” after learning of the Friends actor’s passing at his home on Saturday.
She remembered her TV son — Turner played Chandler Bing’s parent on Friends — and said: “He came to see one of my Broadway shows and he came backstage. When he saw me, he yelled out, ‘Hey dad’ and everyone thought it was pretty cool. I think it was for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.”
Turner saw Perry “at least 10 years [ago] at some event. I liked him. He had a good sense of humour and a good heart. He liked other people, which, to me, is terribly important, especially for an actor.
“It’s extremely sad when you think about how young [he was] and a pity he couldn’t get more control.”
From the archives: Matthew Perry ‘begged’ Friends producers to get rid of this essential Chandler Bing character trait
Monday 30 October 2023 07:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Matthew Perry revealed last year that he “begged” Friends producers to get rid of a signature Chandler characteristic.
Reflecting on his time starring in the series, which ran from 1994 to 2004, Perry said he was annoyed with his character’s signature intonation and wanted to change Chandler’s voice.
In an excerpt published by Variety in 2022, he wrote that he “had to beg the producers” to stop writing his lines this way.
Riffing on his character’s catchphrase, Perry wrote: “That particular cadence – could it be more annoying? – had been so played out that if I had to put the emphasis in the wrong place one more time, I thought I’d explode, so I just went back to saying lines normally, for the most part in season six and then beyond.”
Read the full piece here:
Matthew Perry ‘begged’ Friends producers to get rid of this Chandler character trait
SNL pays tribute to Mathew Perry
Monday 30 October 2023 07:05 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Saturday Night Live [SNL] paid tribute to Matthew Perry’s memory after the news of his death emerged late the same day as the show’s broadcast.
The broadcast featured a poignant moment when Perry’s photograph was displayed on the screen and was followed by a brief moment of silence just before the goodnight segment.
The episode was hosted by comedian Nate Bargatze.
Perry hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live on 4 October 1997 with the musical group Oasis as the featured guest.
How Matthew Perry confronted his drug addiction, and spent his life urging others to seek help
Monday 30 October 2023 07:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Matthew Perry, who has died aged 54, made no secret of his addiction struggles over the years, writing candidly about his substance abuse and attempts to stay sober in his affecting memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
Released in 2021, the book chronicled the exacerbation of Perry’s addiction under the “white-hot flame of fame” after he shot to international stardom, aged 24, as the wise-cracking Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom Friends.
“Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name,” he wrote in the book’s opening passage. “My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.”
In the book, Perry recalled drinking heavily through the first two seasons of Friends, although he said he was never drunk or high on set, and then becoming addicted to the opiate pain medication Vicodin after a jet ski accident while filming Fools Rush In with Salma Hayek in 1996.
By the end of the 10th series of Friends, Perry became “entrenched in a lot of trouble”, he revealed years later.
Read the full piece here:
How Matthew Perry confronted his drug addiction, and urged others to seek help
Fans speak of ‘shock and sadness’ at death of Friends star Matthew Perry
Monday 30 October 2023 06:30 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Fans of Friends actor Matthew Perry have spoken of their “shock and sadness” at the death of the “funniest” star of the hit US comedy.
The 54-year-old, who became a superstar playing funnyman Chandler Bing during the show’s 10 seasons, died after an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home, US outlets have reported.
Visitors to the Friends’ Experience in Dublin, Ireland – which showcases sets, props and costumes from the show – said that his jokes and performances would live on.
Irma Varivoda, 18, from Bosnia and Herzegovina and living in Dublin, said: “So this is the one where we all lost a friend.
“I was really shocked and sad but honestly I think this was the best way to pay him respect and come here and we are going to miss him but Chandler is going to live forever. Rest in peace, Matthew.”
Fans speak of ‘shock and sadness’ at death of Friends star Matthew Perry
The moment Matthew Perry tore into ‘complete tool’ Peter Hitchens during Newsnight debate about drug addiction
Monday 30 October 2023 06:15 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Matthew Perry, who has died suddenly aged 54, was known around the world as Chandler Bing, the saracastic king of the one-liner on the hit sitcom Friends.
Yet in his later years he also became a fierce advocate for addiction recovery, speaking frankly about his own struggles with drug and alcohol abuse over the years.
Outside of Friends, one of his most memorable TV appearances was in 2013, when he debated addiction on the BBC’s current affairs programme Newsnight with Baroness Meacher, an advocate for drug policy reform, and controversial author and broadcaster Peter Hitchens.
Perry was invited on to discuss specialist drug courts, in which former addicts would sit as magistrates in order to pass a more informed judgement on abuse-related offences by non-violent addicts.
“I know that they work,” he said on the programme. “People who go through drug court have a 55 per cent less chance of ever seeing handcuffs ever again.”
The moment Matthew Perry tore into ‘complete tool’ Peter Hitchens on Newsnight
Watch Matthew Perry’s most iconic Friends scenes
Monday 30 October 2023 06:00 , Maroosha Muzaffar
Matthew Perry’s portrayal of the sarcastic yet vulnerable Chandler Bing on Friends made the sitcom star a household name.
Clips of the actor’s best moments in the show have resurfaced following the news that Perry was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Saturday, 28 October.
During the show’s 10 seasons, Chandler had many iconic scenes - from trying new armchairs with Joey to stealing the last laugh with the show’s final line, at the request of Perry himself.
