Hank Azariahas paid tribute to the lateFriendsactor and advocate for rehabilitation,Matthew Perry, taking to social media to share a heartfelt message following Perry’s passing. Azaria starred alongside Perry in the hit sitcom, with the two becoming real-life friends, with Perry helping Azaria find his own way to sobriety.
“Matthew was the first friend I made in Los Angeles when I moved there. I was 21, he was 16. Matthew and I became really good friends and we were really more like brothers for a long time. We drank a lot together, we laughed a lot together, we were there for each other in the early days of our career.”
Azaria remembered how funny Perry was in life and on screen, wondering what his career might have been.
“Most nights you spent with Matthew you were crying laughing by the end. As an actor, he was so brilliant. I just wish we could have gotten what the rest of his career would’ve been.”
You can watch Azaria’s message below:
The co-creators and executive producers behindFriendsrecently paid tribute to the late Matthew Perry, with Marta Kauffman, David Crane and executive producer and director Kevin Bright releasing a statement following his tragic passing. The news of Perry’s death broke over the weekend, with Kaufmann, Crane, and Bright saying “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,” before concluding that “This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.”
You can read the full statement below:
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.
We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.
Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, and EP Kevin Bright.
Currently, Perry’s cause of death has been listed as “deferred” by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, pending “additional investigative steps.”
The mark that Matthew Perry has left on the television and film industry is indelible. Not onlybecause of his character inFriends, a series which an entire generation grew up with or were simply glued to, but also because of the beautiful moments he shared with co-workers throughout his long career.
Perry began acting in 1979 in the series240-Robert, and his filmography includes more than 40 television appearances, includingFriends,The West Wing,The Good Wife,and his reboot ofThe Odd Couple. In film, he was part of the cast of 14 projects, includingFools Rush In,The Whole Nine Yards, and17 Again. In addition, he participated in several stage plays. So he shared moments with a lot of actors, and many of them remembered him in this tragic moment.
Selma Blair, who was a friend of the actor and even had a small guest role inFriendswith him, shared an emotional message on her Instagram page:
“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.”
Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice onFriendsand shared many scenes with the actor, also had some really kind words to say about her co-star, who always made her laugh:
“What a loss.The world will miss you Mathew 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.”
Thomas Lennon, one of Perry’s closest friends and co-workers (his main collaborated onThe Odd Couple), wrote:“Goodnight, friend.”
Academy Award-winning actress Viola Davis was one of the first celebrities that shared a message for Perry:
“Beyond the joy you brought to many, your heart reigned supreme. Rest well…..know that you brought love.”
Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler’s mother on the popular sitcom, was devastated by the news:
“I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my ‘son’, Matthew Perry. The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock.”
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Jimmy Burrows was another member of theFriendsteam who shared a photo with him and wrote:“Nobody did it better.”
Beverly Hills 90210star Shannen Dohertyshared a long message on herInstagram page, remembering her friendship with Perry:
“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 humor. 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 dads Irish persuasiveness 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.”
Yvette Nicole Brown, who starred inThe Odd Couplewith Perry, remembered him on her Twitter page:
“Our #OddCouple family suffered a great loss today. The entire entertainment world has.”
Actress Meredith Salenger, who starred alongside Perry inA Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, recalled how young they were when they met:
“Matthew and I have known each other since were were 16 years old. Oh man. No words.”
Before Perry passed away, he published an acclaimed memoir, and if you want to know more about him, his life, and his struggles, you should check outFriends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,available for purchase here.
