Friends star Matthew Perry sadly died aged 54.
Renowned US actor Matthew Perry, celebrated for his portrayal of the quick-witted Chandler Bing in the beloved ’90s TV series Friends, has passed away at the age of 54.
Many fans have offered tribute to the much-loved star.
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.
Everyone’s love for the show will be unmatched, and the loss fans feel with Perry’s passing will be immense.
Matthew Perry, who played the lovable Chandler Bing, will always be remembered.
News of Perry’s passing, initially reported by the TMZ stated that he was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his home.
According to a Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson, first responders were dispatched to an address in the Pacific Palisades area, responding to a “water emergency” of an unspecified nature They didn’t name Perry.
Born in Massachusetts in 1969, Perry grew up in Ottawa, Canada, where he attended elementary school alongside Justin Trudeau, who would later become the Prime Minister of Canada.
Trudeau expressed his shock and sorrow over Perry’s passing, recalling the fond memories of their schoolyard games and acknowledging the profound joy Perry brought to people worldwide.
Perry relocated to Los Angeles during his teenage years, initially gaining recognition for his role as Chazz Russell in Boys Will Be Boys and subsequently appearing in shows like Growing Pains.
However, it was his role in Friends that catapulted him to international stardom. Perry portrayed the socially awkward Chandler Bing, renowned for his humor and childlike antics with his roommate Joey Tribbiani. He was perfect.
Despite his peak of fame, Perry grappled with addiction to painkillers and alcohol, resulting in multiple stints in rehabilitation clinics.
In 2016, he revealed that he had no memory of three years of filming during Friends due to substance abuse. It broke fans’ hearts.
Perry’s health woes, stemming from his drug use, included a burst colon in 2018, necessitating several surgeries.
In Los Angeles, the news of Perry’s passing has generated shock and disbelief. Entertainment reporter Sean Mandell emphasized Perry’s pivotal role in Friends’ success, highlighting his character’s unique blend of wit and heart.
While Perry appeared in several films, including Fools Rush In, Almost Heroes, and The Whole Nine Yards, he never found a project that rivaled the immense success and fame of Friends.
His later TV work, notably in Aaron Sorkin’s The West Wing, Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, and his own creation, Mr. Sunshine, earned critical acclaim.
His final significant TV endeavor, a reboot of The Odd Couple, lasted for three seasons.
Perry discovered its cancellation when he arrived on set and found his image painted over with green paint.
Maggie Wheeler, who portrayed Chandler’s ex-girlfriend Janice in Friends, was the first of Perry’s co-stars to publicly honor the actor.
Others, like Morgan Fairchild and Selma Blair, shared heartfelt tributes, expressing their profound sorrow over his untimely passing.
Matthew Perry is survived by his parents, John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Perry, who separated when he was a baby, as well as five half-siblings.
He never married and had no children, and he cited his father’s influence as an actor as a source of inspiration.
John Bennett Perry even made a guest appearance on Friends in 1997 as Mr. Bergin, the father of Rachel’s love interest, Josh.
Perry’s last Instagram post, published just days ago, depicts him relaxing in a rooftop pool, drawing an outpouring of affection from his devoted fans.
Perry spoke out about the legacy he wants to leave behind in an interview last year.
In an interview, Perry sat down with Tom Power at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto to reflect on his life.
Power asked the actor how he would ‘like to be remembered’.
“I would like to be remembered as somebody who lived well, loved well, was a seeker and his paramount thing is he wants to help people. That’s what I want.”
And now, the coroner has updated Perry’s cause of death.
His cause of death has now been listed as “deferred.”
This is to allow the full results of Perry’s toxicology report to come in.
However, his body has now been released to his family to allow them to make funeral preparations.