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The loved ones and colleagues of Matthew Perry have expressed their admiration for the actor, who has been praised as “the most hilarious person ever.”
At the age of 54, Perry, famous for his portrayal of Chandler Bing on the American sitcom Friends, has passed away.
According to the PA news agency, the Los Angeles Police Department received a call at approximately 4pm on Saturday regarding a male in his 50s who had died and officers were dispatched to investigate.
Condolences and messages of mourning have been expressed after the announcement of his passing, including from his fellow Friends co-stars.
Hank Azaria had a recurring role in the sitcom as David, Phoebe Buffay’s romantic interest. He described his relationship with Perry as being like brothers.
On his Instagram account, he shared a video where he mentioned, “Matthew was the very first friend I met in Los Angeles after I relocated there. I was 21 years old and he was 16.”
“We collaborated on a pilot project and developed a strong friendship, almost like brothers, that lasted for a significant amount of time.”
“We shared many drinks and laughs together. We were there for each other during the early stages of our career. He was just as funny in person as he was on Friends and in other roles. He truly was the funniest man I’ve ever met.”
Each night, he displayed a genius ability to seamlessly connect comedic pieces, casually throwing out jokes here and there, until eventually bringing them all together in a crescendo of laughter.
The sitcom featured a brief appearance by Sarah, Duchess of York, in an episode set in London.
The duchess, also known as Fergie, shared her memories of the talented actor who recently passed away on X. She was elated to have had the opportunity to meet him and praised his natural abilities as a comedian and actor.
“It is truly heartbreaking to lose you at such a young age. May you rest in peace, dear Matthew. Your presence brought so much happiness and laughter to countless people.”
Perry’s loved ones expressed deep sadness and grief over the devastating loss of their son.
According to anonymous sources cited by the Los Angeles Times and celebrity website TMZ, the body of the deceased was discovered in a hot tub at his residence. TMZ was the first to report this information.
Perry’s family shared with People magazine that they are devastated by the unexpected passing of their dear son and brother.
“Matthew was a source of great happiness in the world, both through his acting and his friendship.”
They stated: “You were all very important to him and we are grateful for the overwhelming display of affection.”
In a collaborative announcement, the creators of Friends, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin Bright, expressed their surprise and sadness over Perry’s passing.
“We are devastated and profoundly saddened by the passing of our dear friend Matthew,” they expressed.
“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 consistently the most humorous individual in the space. Not only that, but he also had a kind and generous heart.
They stated, “This is truly the episode where our hearts are shattered.”
In addition, Maggie Wheeler, the actress who portrayed Janice Hosenstein, Chandler’s love interest on and off, also honored the star.
She expressed feeling grateful for the opportunity to have shared artistic moments with Perry.
Posting to her Instagram account, the actress said: “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.”
Source: independent.co.uk