Some truly iconic actors from the hit sitcom Friends have tragically passed away in recent years…
And the latest once has left the internet feeling emotional.
“This is so so sad,” one fan shared.
“Such a loss, but what an amazing career,” another added.
“One of my favorite Friends characters,” added a third.
Now, we were first introduced to the Friends gang in 1994.
Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Phoebe, and Joey burst onto our screens in September 1994.
It was an instant hit.
The comedy followed the friends, who live in the same New York apartment block, as they navigated through their mid-twenties.
We got to know the ins and outs of their everyday life…
And in a way, they became our own friends… It’s corny, but it’s true.
The show navigated some serious topics…
Ross and Rachel were not on a break. Period.
There were many iconic moments throughout the show’s ten seasons.
Rachel’s English trifle, Chandler’s nubbin, the time Joey got a Thanksgiving turkey stuck on his head…
The list could go on.
Despite the show coming to an end in 2004, it stands as one of the most-watched shows on Netflix, and its fanbase is as strong as ever.
They all embodied their characters completely.
And none of us can quite see them in anything else.
The gang earned a lot of money during those 10 years…
Allegedly, the cast was each on an eye-watering $1 million salary per episode in the later seasons of the show – a history-breaking figure.
Despite everyone’s love for the show, behind the scenes, one of the actors was struggling immensely to stay afloat.
Matthew Perry, who played the lovable Chandler Bing, has opened up about struggling with addiction while he was filming the show.
Perry has spilled all in his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.
“I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side of everything again,” he told PEOPLE.
“I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober — and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction — to write it all down.
“And the main thing was, I was pretty certain that it would help people.”
But Perry wasn’t the only actor from Friends going through a tough time.
In fact, since the show’s ended, thirteen of the actors have tragically passed away.
And one TikToker recently compiled a video in honor of them all…
Which has left fans feeling emotional!
One TikTok user commented: “Genuinely shocked by about 90 percent of these.”
Another added: “RIP to all of them.”
Ron Leibman…
Leibman, who played Rachel’s dad, died from pneumonia complications in 2019.
Audra Lindley…
The actress who played Frances, Phoebe Buffet’s grandmother, passed in 1997 of leukemia.
Stan Kirsch…
The actor who played Monica’s boyfriend Young Ethan was also included in the video.
Joel Beeson…
Beeson, who played Joey’s department store fragrance rival, has also passed away.
Fred Willard…
The actor who made an early cameo as a zookeeper died of a heart attack.
Mike Hagerty…
Hagerty, who played superintendent Treeger, died in 2022 from a negative reaction to an antibiotic used to treat a leg infection.
James Michael Tyler…
And the iconic Gunther actor passed away in 2021 after a battle with prostate cancer.
And now, Paxton Whitehead.
The Broadway veteran and Rache’ls Bloomingdale’s boss has passed away aged 85.
Actor Jim Piddick shared: “Heartbroken to hear my dear friend and mentor Paxton Whitehead has passed away.”
“He was an extraordinary actor, a brilliant friend, and truly wonderful human being. He meant so much to so many people and always brought a smile to the faces of everyone he encountered.”
Actress Dana Ivy wrote: “I’ve just heard that my beloved friend Paxton Whitehead has died, on Friday the 16th.”
“We first worked together in My Fair Lady in 1964, and the last time was in Importance of Being Earnest in 2010 – friends for 59 years. I loved him so. Heartbroken.”
One fan shared: “Rest in Peace, Paxton Whitehead. Well done, sir.”
Another added: “RIP to the great actor Paxton Whitehead…… He did all the great style of acting that you would expect from great British actors.”
Whitehead, from Kent, UK, starred in several Broadway productions.
And alongside Friends, appeared on popular shows, Frasier, Caroline in the City, Ellen, 3rd Rock from the Sun, The Drew Carey Show, and Mad About You.
He even earned a Tony nomination for his performance as Pellinore in a 1980 version of Camelot opposite Richard Burton.
White appeared a whopping 16 times on Broadway from 1962-2018, including My Fair Lady with Richard Chamberlain, Lettice and Lovage, Noises Off, and The Importance of Being Earnest.
Whitehead is survived by his son Charles and daughter Alex.
Plus, the legacy of a truly incredible career.
