On Sunday 28 October, the world woke up to the most devastating news: Matthew Perry, the famous actor best known for playing Chandler Bing in the sitcom Friends had passed away. He was just 54.
It was reported that Matthew's assistant found him unresponsive in his jacuzzi, and subsequently called the emergency services. Tragically, the Los Angeles Police Department later pronounced him dead at the scene. At this time, Matthew's passing is not being treated as suspicious – the LAPD Captain Scot Williams said: "the cause of death may not be known for some time, but at this point foul play is not suspected."
Upon hearing such saddening news, a whole host of celebrities have since taken to social media to share their condolences and pay tribute to the talented actor, with some sharing their own personal memories of Matthew.
Here, we take a look at all of the celebrity tributes to the late Matthew Perry…
Maggie Wheeler
Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler Bing's on and off again girlfriend, Janice, took to Instagram to mourn the loss of her friend.
"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," the actor shared.
Kathleen Turner
Kathleen Turner played Matthew's on screen father in Friends, and has also shared her moving tribute to the late star.
"He came to see one of my Broadway shows and he came backstage. When he saw me, he yelled out, 'Hey dad; and everyone thought it was pretty cool. I think it was for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.
Kathleen continued: "[It was] at least 10 years [ago] at some event. I liked him. He had a good sense of humour and a good heart. He liked other people, which, to me, is terribly important, especially for an actor. It's extremely sad when you think about how young [he was]."
Marta Kauffman, David Crane and Kevin Bright
Friends creators Marta Kauffman, David Crane and Kevin Bright issued a joint statement upon learning of Matthew's death. They said: "We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew's passing. It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives.
"He was a brilliant talent. It's a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew's case, there are no truer words. From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us. 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. He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart."
Morgan Fairchild
Matthew's on screen mother Morgan Fairchild is another Friends cast member to pay tribute.
The 73 year old said on Instagram: "I'm heartbroken about the untimely death of my 'son', Matthew Perry. 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!" followed by a string of broken heart emojis.
Selma Blair
Actor Selma Blair, who also appeared alongside Matthew in an episode of Friends took to her Instagram grid to share a sweet selfie of the two friends.
She accompanied the photo with: "My oldest boy friend. All of us loved Matthew Perry, and I did especially. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I’m broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty. Sweet dreams."
Rumer Willis
Rumer Willis, whose dad Bruce starred in The Whole Nine Yards with Matthew wrote on her Instagram stories: "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 [The Whole Nine Yards] he was so kind and funny and sweet with my sisters and me."
"I think his physical comedy and that movie still makes me laugh so much. 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," she concluded.
Shannen Doherty
Actor Shannen Doherty reflected on a "lifetime of friendship" with Matthew in her emotional social media post.
"We were a gang way back. We all grew up together going to the Formosa, North and constantly laughing. 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 humour.
Shannen continued her heartfelt tribute: "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."
Viola Davis
Academy Award winner Viola Davis also paid tribute on Instagram, and shared how Matthew's tell all memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing moved her hugely when she read it.
"This is devastating. Your book shifted so many close to my heart," she typed alongside a headshot of Matthew. "The people no one sees and most throwaway. It was a gift. Beyond the joy you brought to many, your heart reigned supreme. Rest well…..know that you brought love."
Octavia Spencer
Elsewhere, Golden Globe winning actor Octavia Spencer posted her message of condolence to Instagram.
She said: "I’m incredibly saddened to hear of Matthew Perry’s passing today. His gift to the world will be remembered forever. Sending love to Matthew’s family, friends, co-stars and millions of fans around the world."
Adele
Adele paid tribute to Matthew during her Las Vegas concert on October 28, and thanked him for being "so open."
The singer told the crowd: "One of my friends, Andrew, when I was like 12, did the best Chandler impression. And he would do it all the time to make us laugh and if any of us were having a bad day or feeling low, he would just pretend to be Chandler. And I will remember that character for the rest of my life.
Adele added: "He was so open with his struggles with addiction and sobriety, which I think is incredibly, incredibly brave. I just wanna say how much I love what he did for all of us."
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow shared her memories of Matthew in a heartfelt Instagram post. The 51 year old recalled them hanging out together in their early acting days and revealed that they were incredibly close.
Also posting a photo of a young Matthew, Gwyneth penned: "I met Matthew Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts. We were both there for most of the summer doing plays.
"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."
Our thoughts are with Matthew's friends and family at this hard time.
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