Matthew Perry’s Friends co-stars break silence on his sudden death and reveal ‘utter devastation’ over tragedy
MATTHEW Perry's Friends co-stars have said an emotional goodbye to the actor, after his tragic death this weekend.
The 54-year-old - who played Chandler Bing on the hit NBC show - was found dead in his backyard hot tub on Saturday.
A cause of death has been deferred as coroners wait for the final results of his toxicology tests.
After letting the news sink in, Matthew's co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow shared a joint statement.
"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family," their statement, which was first obtained by , 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 entire cast are close, they will be devastated, because they were together through the best of times and worst of times.
"And when Matty was sick, they protected him, they looked him after him fiercely."
CLOSE FRIENDS
Matthew had a particularly close relationship with Jennifer, who played Rachel Green on Friends.
After he got over his initial crush on the star, they had a close friendship as she supported him throughout his rehab stints and drug battles.
"You know, I'm really grateful to her for that."
Matthew's Friends costar Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice Hosenstein, paid tribute to him on Instagram on Saturday.
"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," she wrote.
"I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared."
TRAGIC DEATH
Matthew reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest and was unresponsive when found by his assistant in his jacuzzi at 4 pm on Saturday.
His staffer made a frantic 911 call and referred to a drowning in the 15-second dispatch audio clip.
Cops confirmed the death was being investigated but no foul play is suspected.
Matthew had been candid about his struggles with drink and drugs, and health problems.
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No narcotics were discovered at the scene, but authorities found anti-depressants, anti-anxiety drugs, and a drug for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
On the morning of his death, Matthew had played racquet sport pickleball with a female friend, who revealed the star had felt unwell and “fatigued” for the past week.