Celebrities’ Heartfelt Reactions To Matthew Perry Passing

Marta Kauffman, David Crane And Kevin Bright

The co-creators of Friends all recounted their time working with Perry and the sadness they felt about his passing. In a statement, 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.” They truly couldn’t have chosen a better person to portray the role.

The statement continued on, “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, and 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. We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.” Considering they worked with Perry for many years, this loss brought a lot of pain (via CBS News).

Jennifer Aniston

In a video, Aniston broke down as she paid tribute to her longtime co-worker Perry. “We didn’t know. We weren’t equipped, we weren’t able to deal with it. Nobody ever dealt with that. And at the idea of even losing him…” She could barely finish her sentences because of her tears. Aniston worked closely with Perry on Friends for the entire duration of the show. At one point, she even helped him through his drinking addiction by showing up to his trailer and helping him realize his drinking addiction wasn’t as much of a secret as he thought it was (via YouTube).

Hank Azaria

In his own reaction, longtime actor and comedian Hank Azaria recalls how Perry helped him get sober. He said, “Matthew was the first friend I made in Los Angeles when I moved there. I was 21, he was 16. Every night, he was like a genius, he would start to weave comedy threads together, just hanging out – little joke here, joke there, joke here, joke there – and then by the end of the night he would weave them all together in this crescendo of hilarity.” It seems like all celebrities agree on how hilarious and carry Perry was (via Twitter).

Selma Blair

In an Instagram post, Selma Blair referred to Matthew as her “oldest boy friend.” She said, “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.” She truly loved the actor (via Instagram).

Alyssa Milano

In an Instagram post, actress Alyssa Milano paid her tribute to Perry’s passing. Milano starred alongside Perry on ‘Who’s the Boss,’ and had the privilege of getting to know him. She said, “Matty was always the funniest person in the room. And the KINDEST. He was kind. Matty, remember when we used to go play bingo at that church in the valley? You made me laugh that painful kind of laugh. A cry laugh. You made me cry-laugh. My condolences to all who loved him.” Milano made a great tribute to the humor and laughter Perry brought to their lives (via Instagram).

Christina Ricci

Actress Christina Ricci portrayed Joey’s sister Mary-Theresa during the first season of Friends. Even though she never met him, she felt like she did. She addressed Perry’s passing, saying in an Instagram post, “I burst into tears when I read the news today. I never met Matthew Perry, but I loved him. ‘Friends’ saved me numerous times during hard and lonely times in my life. I adored his character and wanted to marry Chandler Bing as a teenager. I watched all his movies. He was a genius.”

She recommends buying his book if you haven’t already. She said, “I downloaded his book and read the whole thing on my cross-country flight today. I’m heartbroken this man suffered so much in life while giving us so much of himself. Read his book. It’s another gift he gave us. If you’re struggling with addiction issues it might just save your life. May he finally rest in peace.” (via Instagram).

Paget Brewster

Before her rise to fame in the drama Criminal Minds, Brewster was on Friends and had the privilege to meet Perry. She wrote, “I’m so very sad to hear about Matthew Perry. He was lovely to me on Friends and every time I saw him in the decades after. Please read his book. It was his legacy to help. He won’t rest in peace though. He’s already too busy making everyone laugh up there.” Everyone who remembers Perry recognized his lighthearted humor and the way he truly loved those around him.

She recalls the time she spent on Friends, saying, “It was my first real acting job. I remember so little because I was so scared! The cast was so kind to me When I was guesting on Friends, when I wasn’t in a scene on shoot nights, I climbed up into the lighting catwalks above the stage and audience to watch everyone. A huge insurance no-no. I regret none of it.” She became quite close with all the actors in Friends, especially Matthew Perry (via CBS News).

Mira Sorvino

Another actress who expressed her reaction to the passing of Matthew Perry is Mira Sorvino, who shared her shock with the world. She said, “Oh no!!! Matthew Perry!! You sweet, troubled soul!! May you find peace and happiness in Heaven, making everyone laugh with your singular wit. I want to leave Matthew Perry’s own words here as the way we remember him. There will never be another like him- he lit up so many hearts in so many ways.” She, like many others, recounts how Perry helped many people get sober and recover from their addiction, something Perry struggled with himself (via Time).

Kathleen Turner

Turner played Chandler’s transgender father on Friends. She spoke about her experience with her TV son, saying, “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.'” Even though she hadn’t seen Perry in nearly a decade, she still remembers his quirky personality. She went on to say, “I liked him. He had a good sense of humor and a good heart. He liked other people, which, to me, is important, especially for an actor. It’s extremely sad when you think about how young [he was] and a pity he couldn’t get more control.” She’ll always cherish the times she enjoyed with Perry (via People).

Olivia Munn

In an Instagram post, actress Olivia Munn recalled how Perry struggled with addiction. In an Instagram story post, she wrote, “He struggled with so much addiction and was brave enough to be open and honest about it. I’m so sorry to his family and friends who are getting this news today. Nothing short of heartbreaking. Rest in love, Matthew Perry.” (via In Style).

Adele

One of the most famous singers in the world, Adele reacted to Perry’s sudden passing. Even though she never met the actor in person, it doesn’t mean she didn’t appreciate and value him from afar. She paid her tributes to Perry at her show, saying, “I’ll remember that character for the rest of my life. He’s probably the best comedic character of all time.” She praised him for his openness and ability to be “so open with his struggles with addiction and sobriety,” which is “incredibly, incredibly brave.”

She went on to say, “It is always so shocking, especially someone who made you laugh and who brought so much joy to your life that you don’t know. This is what I find so strange, I never met him in my life. There is something, you feel so sad about it especially because you don’t necessarily know what was going on.” And even though none of us have ever met Perry, we can safely say it feels like we know him, even if slightly. She recalled a time from childhood and how much of an impact Perry had on her life. “One of my favorite memories of when I was younger, with my friends, and one of my friends Andrew when I was 12 did the best Chandler impression, and he would do it all the time to make us laugh. And if anyone was having a bad day or feeling low, he would pretend to be Chandler. And I will remember that character for the rest of my life.” (via Rolling Stone).

Shannon Doherty

As a co-star of Perry’s on Beverly Hills 90210, Doherty shared her happiest memory. She said, “We were a gang way back. We all grew up together going to the 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 made-up language. And yes, Matt always had THAT sense of humor.” The two have known each other for nearly three decades.

She went on to say, “Matt and I had a date and it was on Valentine’s Day. He wanted to get a reservation at a restaurant in Malibu but couldn’t so my dad got the reservation for him. We went and he talked about my dad’s Irish persuasiveness for the majority of the night. 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.” The happiest memories she has with Perry will live on (via Instagram).

Paul Rudd

On the final two seasons of Friends, Pal Rudd appeared as the husband of Phoebe. He wrote a message on his Instagram for Perry, saying, “Words can’t express how saddened I am to hear of Matthew’s passing. You will be missed so so so dearly.” (via CBS News).

George Takei

On Twitter, George Takei said, “What a tragic piece of news to read. My heart goes out to his loved ones and long-time cast mates.” It’s a short, yet sweet way to remember Perry and the impact he had on the lives of so many people (via Twitter).

Meredith Salenger

Back in 1988, Salenger worked on A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon with Matthew Perry. They’ve known each other since they were 16 years old. That’s a friendship that goes way back. Salenger wrote, “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.” (via Instagram).

Warner Bros – The Producers of Friends

Warner Bros, the studio that produced Friends, reacted to Perry’s death when they heard the news on Saturday. They said, “We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.” Perry touched the lives of millions of people and celebs around the world (via CBS News).

The Ottawa Senators Hockey Team

We know Perry was half American, half Canadian, so it only makes sense that his hometown hockey team Ottawa Senators paid their tributes. They wrote, “Saddened to learn about the passing of Matthew Perry, one of Ottawa’s proudest sons and 𝑡ℎ𝑒 biggest hockey fan.” They posted a video of him happily attending one of their games (via Twitter).

New York City

Even though a city itself isn’t necessarily a celebrity, we still want to acknowledge the memorial that fans from around the world have put in front of the Friends apartment on 90 Bedford Street in Manhattan. This Twitter account said, “New Yorkers have created a Memorial for Matthew Perry outside of the “Friends” apartment in the West Village, New York City.” If you’re in NYC, you can visit this location and see just how much fans from around the globe loved Perry (via Twitter).

Friends Cast

Perry’s Friends co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc are currently all processing and grieving the loss of their co-star Matthew Perry. While they’re taking time to process what happened, they said in a statement, “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. 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.”

Perry was an important member of their family, and the show obviously would not have been the same without him. They went on to say, “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.” He was the funniest in the room and always performed with all of his heart (via People).