Entertainment

‘Friends’ Cast React to Matthew Perry’s Death in Joint Statement

‘WE ARE A FAMILY’

Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer have released their first statement after their co-star died in an apparent drowning on Saturday.

Courteney Cox Arquette as Monica Geller, Matt LeBlanc as Joey Tribbiani, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe Buffay, David Schwimmer as Ross Geller, Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing, Jennifer Aniston as Rachel Green
Reisig & Taylor/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images

The core cast of Friends—Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer—have broken their silence two days after the death of their co-star Matthew Perry in an apparent drowning at his California home.

The five surviving cast members provided a joint statement on the “unfathomable loss” to People on Monday.

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

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“In time we will say more, as and when we are able,” the statement continued. “For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”

Perry was found unresponsive in his hot tub by his assistant on Saturday. He was 54. The death is under investigation by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office and the Los Angeles Police Department, but foul play is not suspected. No illicit drugs were found at the scene.

It was reported earlier on Monday that the surviving Friends, “reeling from the loss of their brother,” were preparing to issue a statement on Perry’s death. “It’s just devastating,” a source added to Page Six.

On Sunday, Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, alongside executive producer Kevin Bright, gave Deadline a joint statement expressing their shock and sadness.

“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,” they said. “He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.”

“This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”