Matthew Perry, the beloved actor who starred as Chandler Bing on “Friends,” has died. He was 54. There is currently no foul play suspected, according to a reliable source, however, the incident remains under investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department Robbery-Homicide Division.
Tributes are pouring in from around the world for the actor who died in his Los Angeles home on Saturday.
The American-Canadian star, best known for his portrayal of sarcastic joker Chandler Bing in Friends, was found dead in his Los Angeles home on Saturday. He died in an apparent drowning in his hot tub. A 911 call captured a small portion of the police response.
Perry’s family released a statement to People, saying: “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”
Friends co-star Maggie Wheeler and Morgan Fairchild were among the many actors remembering Perry.
Wheeler, who played Perry’s on-off girlfriend Janice Hosenstein on the show, wrote on Instagram: “What a loss. The world will miss you, Matthew Perry.”
Fairchild, who played Perry’s on-screen mother Nora Bing, said on Twitter: “I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my ‘son’, Matthew Perry.”
Selma Blair, Paget Brewster, Octavia Spencer, and Yvette Nicole Brown also shared condolences.
He shot to fame for his role on the 1990s sitcom Friends, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, and David Schwimmer.
The hit show followed the close-knit group living in New York, with Perry playing Chandler Bing, who became known for his use of sarcastic one-liners.
The show ran for 10 seasons from 1994 to 2004, with a reunion special in 2021.
Around a year ago, Perry embarked on a press tour for the release of his memoir Friends, Lovers, And The Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.
He spoke about his battle with addiction – including a near-death experience in 2019 after his colon burst as a result of opioid use. Perry recalled one instance when Aniston confronted him about being inebriated while filming.
“I know you’re drinking,” he remembered her telling him.
“We can smell it,” she said in what Perry called a “kind of weird but loving way” – adding: “The plural ‘we’ hit me like a sledgehammer.”
The star, who appeared in the 1999 drama Cruel Intentions and the film Legally Blonde, wrote that she was “broken-hearted” and loved Perry “unconditionally”.
Author: Seyi Awoleye
Los-Angeles, USA
seyiawoleye@yahoo.com
