Matthew Perry became one of the most beloved actors of the nineties thanks to his iconic role in Friends.
The Chandler Bing actor - whose tragic death aged just 54 was announced on Saturday night - maintained a strong bond with his co-stars on the show, and admitted he "cried more than anyone" at the Friends: The Reunion TV special in 2021, knowing just how much his friends meant to him.
In the last pages of Matthew's memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, that was released in November 2022, the actor wrote some incredibly emotional messages dedicated to his co-stars, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt Le Blanc, Counteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow.
"I closed my eyes, then, and in-haled deeply, and as I opened my eyes, I was surrounded by my Friends friends (without whom I would have starred in something called No Friends).
"Schwimmer, for making us stick together when he could have gone it alone and profited more than all the rest, and deciding we should be a team and getting us a million bucks a week.
© Jim Smeal"Lisa Kudrow - no woman has ever made me laugh that much. Courteney Cox - for making America think that someone so beautiful would marry a guy like me. Jenny, for letting me look at that face an extra two seconds every single day.
"Matt Le Blanc, who took the only sort of stock character and turned him into the funniest character on the show. Each of them was still just a phone call away. At the reunion, I was the one who cried more than anyone because I knew what I'd had, and the gratitude I felt then matches the gratitude I feel today."
© Getty ImagesMatthew's passing was first reported by TMZ on Saturday, with the publication writing that the actor had been found on Saturday October 28 in his jacuzzi by his assistant, who had been sent out on errands after Matthew had returned home from a game of pickleball.
The Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that officers responded to a call at the actor's address regarding the death of a male in his 50s, but did not confirm the identity of the deceased.
© Gregg DeGuireRepresentatives for Matthew have not yet responded to queries from HELLO! Warner Bros. issued a statement about the beloved star: “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."
© David M. BenettMatthew found fame in the nineties for his role as Chandler in Friends, which ran for 10 years between 1992 and 2002. Other roles included The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and The Odd Couple.
His movie credits include Fools Rush In, The Whole Nine Yards, and 17 Again. Tragically, Matthew battled with devastating addictions to alcohol and drugs, and in his memoir, he revealed he had almost died at the age of 49 when his colon burst from opioid overuse, leaving him spending weeks fighting for his life.
© InstagramThe Friends actor's last Instagram post was incredibly poignant, as it was a photo with his beloved father, John Perry. The picture had been posted just this month on Monday October 16, showing the actor posing with his dad inside his apartment in Los Angeles.
In the caption, he had written: "Here is me, and my father John, both holding a beverage." John, an actor and former model, had a cameo in season four of his son's hit show.
Cast on Friends as the father of Rachel Green's ex-boyfriend, Joshua, the 82-year-old featured as Mr Burgin in 'The One with Rachel's New Dress.'
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