Matthew Perry death: Friends stars and family remember 'brilliant' actor
.webp)
The US actor - best known for playing Chandler Bing in hit '90s show Friends - was found dead at his LA home.
The sitcom's creators said he was a "brilliant talent" and "always the funniest person in the room", while his family said he had "brought so much joy to the world".
Perry was praised in recent years for speaking openly about mental health.
Friends, which followed the fortunes of six friends living in New York, aired from 1994 until 2004 and became a cultural touchstone of the era.
More than 52 million viewers in the US alone tuned in for its 2004 finale, making it the most watched TV episode of the 2000s.
The creators of the show, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, and its executive producer Kevin Bright, said Perry's death "still seems impossible", Deadline reported.
In a joint statement they said: "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."
Referencing the style used for the titles of Friends episodes, they finished their tribute: "This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken."
In a statement issued to People magazine, his family said they were "heartbroken", adding: "Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend."
Perry's fans "meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love", they continued.
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow shared how she and Perry spent a "magical summer" together in 1993, where they swam in creeks, shared beers and "kissed in a field of long grass".
"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."
She added: "I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do."
Maggie Wheeler, who played on-screen girlfriend Janice, said the joy he brought to so many in his "too short lifetime will live on".
Morgan Fairchild, who played Perry's on-screen mother and erotic novel writer Nora Bing, said: "I'm heartbroken about the untimely death of my 'son', Matthew Perry."
"The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock," she added.
Paget Brewster, who played love interest Kathy in the sixth series of Friends, said Perry "won't rest in peace" because "he's already too busy making everyone laugh up there".
In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, she urged people to read Perry's 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, describing it as his "legacy to help".
The book recounts his struggles with addiction to painkillers and alcohol during his sudden rise to fame, and lifelong struggles with mental health problems.
Perry experienced health problems including a burst colon in 2018 due to his drug usage, which required several operations.
.jpeg)
