The Main Friends Cast Paid Tribute To Matthew Perry In A Joint Statement

Following the death of Matthew Perry on Oct. 28, his Friends co-stars are paying tribute to their fellow actor and friend. Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer shared a joint statement remembering Perry.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the stars wrote in a statement provided to People on Oct. 30. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”

Perry’s co-stars added that they will say more “in time,” but concluded their statement with condolences. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

More Friends Pay Tribute

The statement follows an outpouring of love from former Friends guest stars — as well as co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, and executive producer Kevin Bright. The trio wrote in their own joint statement to Deadline that they would “cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment — not just to his work, but in life as well.”

They also used Friends’ signature “The One...” episode title convention to encapsulate their grief: “This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”

Beyond A Cast Connection

As the Friends cast’s statement points out, the show’s six stars were never just co-workers. This is something Perry discussed in his 2022 memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

Specifically, the Fools Rush In star credited the Friends posse with supporting him during his struggle with substance use.

“It’s like penguins. Penguins, in nature, when one is sick, or when one is very injured, the other penguins surround it and prop it up,” he told People. “They walk around it until that penguin can walk on its own. That’s kind of what the cast did for me.”

Perry told Diane Sawyer that Aniston, especially, “reached out the most” during those difficult times. “I’m really grateful to her for that,” he said last year.

Revisiting The Friends Reunion

The titular friends of Friends reunited for a special in 2021, marking the last time all six stars would publicly assemble. At the time, Perry told People that the show “changed [his] life in every way.”

“I got the show when I was a 24-year-old man; the show ended when I was 34,” he said. “It formed my life. And it was the time of my life.”

If you or someone you know is seeking help for substance use, call the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).