- POPSUGAR Australia
- Celebrity
- The “Friends” Cast and Other Stars React to Matthew Perry’s Death: “The World Will Miss You”
The “Friends” Cast and Other Stars React to Matthew Perry’s Death: “The World Will Miss You”
Getty / NBC
The showbiz world was shocked to hear of Matthew Perry‘s death on Oct. 28. The actor, who famously played Chandler Bing in 10 seasons of “Friends,” died at age 54 after an apparent drowning at his Los Angeles home, per People. Fans instantly took to social media to share some of their best memories of the star, including iconic “Friends” scenes involving Perry’s impeccable comedic timing.
In addition to his acting career, clips of Perry talking about his experience with alcohol and substance use disorder resurfaced as well. In a poignant clip, taken from Perry’s appearance on “Q With Tom Power” podcast in 2022 to promote his memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” he spoke of how he’d like to be remembered.
“When I die, I know people will talk about ‘Friends,’ ‘Friends,’ ‘Friends.’ And I’m glad of that, happy I’ve done some solid work as an actor, as well as given people multiple chances to make fun of my struggles on the World Wide Web,” he said. “But when I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if ‘Friends’ were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people. I know it won’t happen, but it would be nice.”
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” Perry’s family said in a statement to People. “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.”
The official “Friends” social media accounts mourned the loss of Perry as well, writing, “We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry’s passing. He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans.”
Celebrities have also shared their grief and sadness alongside their personal memories of Perry. While his fellow core “Friends” costars have yet to publicly comment on the impact of his loss, Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice on “Friends,” and Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler’s mom, have both expressed their shock. Selma Blair, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Adele are just some of the other celebrities who have opened up about Perry’s death, too.
Ahead, see how stars are paying their respects to Perry.
– Additional reporting by Njera Perkins
Related: Here’s What Matthew Perry Had to Say About His Dating History in His Memoir
Getty Images for Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood / Matt Winkelmeyer
Maggie Wheeler
Wheeler, who played Chandler’s on-and-off girlfriend Janice in the TV sitcom, took to Instagram to express her sadness. Alongside a photo of the pair in “Friends,” she wrote: “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.”
FilmMagic / Steve Granitz
Gwyneth Paltrow
The Goop founder posted a tribute to Perry on Instagram, detailing a summer they spent together before they were famous. “I met Matthew Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts. We were both there for most of the summer doing plays,” 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. 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. 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.”
Getty Images / Kevork Djansezian
Adele
Adele paused her concert in Las Vegas to pay tribute to the “Friends” star on Oct. 28. “It is always so shocking, especially someone that made you laugh and who brought so much joy to your life that you don’t know. This is what I find so strange, I never met him in my life. There is something, you feel so sad about it, especially because you don’t necessarily known what was going on,” she told the crowd, via a TikTok video taken from the show. Adele recalled how her good friend at school would always do impressions of Chandler to make them laugh. “I’ll remember that character for the rest of my life,” she added.
Bruce Glikas/Getty Images
Hannah Waddingham
The “Ted Lasso” star took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her condolences. “I can’t stop looking at photos of this beautiful man. I’m so, so sad that such a cruel, unyielding disease always tried to define him,” Waddingham wrote. “It will never define him for me. His untouchable gift for comedy,his total honesty on & off screen & his beautiful, handsome face will.”
WireImage / Mike Marsland
Blake Harrison
The star of “The Inbetweeners” wrote of how Perry influenced him growing up. “Matthew Perry was a huge inspiration to me growing up. Me & my mates would come into school having memorised his sarcastic one-liners, speech pattern & even Chandler’s dance. Friends was one of the rare shows my family would watch together with equal enjoyment & Chandler was our favourite,” he wrote on Instagram. “He brought me so much joy & without knowing it he encouraged me to pursue acting. Thank You.”
Getty Images / Tibrina Hobson
Morgan Fairchild
Having played Chandler’s mom in “Friends,” Fairchild posted a photo from the series when she walked him down the aisle to marry Monica. “I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my ‘son’, Matthew Perry,” she posted on Instagram. “The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock. And such a sweet, caring man, too! I’m sending love and condolences to his friends and family, especially his dad, John Bennett Perry, who I worked with on Falcon Crest & Flamingo Rd. Lovely family and such a heavy loss!”
Getty / Tommaso Boddi
Paget Brewster
The “Criminal Minds” star – who guest-starred during season four of “Friends” – paid tribute to Perry on X, writing, “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.”
Getty / CBS Photo Archive
Yvette Nicole Brown
Brown – whom Perry worked with on the sitcom “The Odd Couple” from 2015 to 2017 – mourned her costar’s loss in a statement to Today that reads: “It was the honor of a lifetime to get to work with the comedic genius that was Matthew Perry. He was kind, loving, hilarious and just a sweetheart of a man.”
She continued, “My heart breaks that we are speaking of him in past tense when his spirit while here was so playful and vibrant even in the midst of his struggles. The loss of Matty is a loss for the whole world. I weep for his family and for everyone else who loved him dearly. Rest well, friend.”
Brown also paid her respects to Perry on Instagram, writing, “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. I am heartbroken to hear of his passing. And am sad for the great talent the world has lost because of it. ? 54 is too young to go. We love you, Matty! #RIPMatthewPerry ?.”
Getty / Vera Anderson
Shannen Doherty
“Beverly Hills, 90210” star Doherty, who worked with Perry when he made a guest appearance on her show in 1991, recalled fond memories of their longtime friendship in a lengthy Instagram tribute. “We were a gang way back. We all grew up together going to the Formosa, North and constantly laughing,” she wrote alongside a picture of her, Perry, and another friend, Roger Castillo. “Matt, Roger, David, Roxana. We played dare and Matt had to say ridiculous things to girls at the bar. We just always had fun and supported each other. You would always find us all together in a booth speaking in our own made up language. And yes, Matt always had THAT sense of humor.”
She continued, “Matt and I had a date and it was on Valentine’s Day. He wanted to get a reservation at a restaurant in Malibu but couldn’t so my dad got the reservation for him. We went and he talked about my dads Irish persuasiveness the majority of the night. Our friendship spanned a long time. A lifetime really. I know many are hurting, especially our little gang. He will be missed by many and definitely by us. Yes. I could be more poetic or say things better but right now, shock and sadness prevail.”
Getty / Amy Sussman
Rumer Willis
Willis mourned Perry in an Instagram Story posted hours after news of his death broke, per People. She wrote, “I’m so sad to hear about Matthew Perry passing. When I was a kid and I was on Set while he and my dad were doing whole nine and whole 10 yards he was so kind and funny and sweet with my sisters and me and I think his physical Comedy and that movie still makes me laugh so much.”
She added, “I know he had many challenges in his life and brought a lot of joy to people with his comedy. I hope he can rest peacefully.”