Matthew Perry’s family thanks well-wishers for ‘tremendous outpouring of love’

PTI, Oct 30, 2023, 11:25 AM IST

Image for representation

Matthew Perry’s family has expressed gratitude to fans and well-wishers for remembering the ”Friends” star, who died at his home here over the weekend . Perry passed away on Saturday at his Pacific Palisades residence. He was found unresponsive in his hot tub and was believed to have drowned.

No official cause or contributing factors to his death have been established yet. “We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. 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,” Perry’s family told TMZ. According to the publication , the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner will prepare an official report on the 54-year-old actor’s death.

Perry shot to international fame with popular sitcom `Friends” for his portrayal of the socially awkward but amiable Chandler Bing who used sarcasm to get by in life.

“Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with the show’s executive producer Kevin Bright, released a joint statement expressing their shock over the sudden demise of the actor. “We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives,” the trio said in a statement to The Times.

They praised Perry’s comedic acting abilities, highlighted throughout the show’s 10-year run.

“He was a brilliant talent. It’s a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words. From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us,” they wrote.

“We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment — not just to his work, but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.” Besides his work on ”Friends”, Perry’s credits include films such as ”Fools Rush In” and ”The Whole Nine Yards”. In 2015, he played Oscar for a CBS reboot of ”The Odd Couple” that aired for two seasons.

In 2021, the actor appeared on HBO Max’s ”Friends” reunion special along with Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, Schwimmer, and LeBlanc.