‘Associates’ Stars Keep in mind Matthew Perry: “We Had been Extra Than Simply Castmates. We Are a Household”

Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer are remembering their Associates co-star Matthew Perry, who died Saturday at age 54.

The quintet launched a joint assertion Monday.

“We’re all so completely devastated by the lack of Matthew,” they mentioned of their assertion. “We had been extra than simply castmates. We’re a household. There’s a lot to say, however proper now we’re going to take a second to grieve and course of this unfathomable loss. In time we are going to say extra, as and once we are in a position. For now, our ideas and our love are with Matty’s household, his mates, and everybody who liked him around the globe.”

The message was signed by all 5 of Perry’s co-stars: Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc and Schwimmer.

Perry, who performed the candy and snarky Chandler Bing on the hit NBC sitcom, died in a sizzling tub at his Los Angeles residence, legislation enforcement sources informed the Los Angeles Instances.

Amid his success from starring in Associates, Perry additionally battled alcohol and substance abuse for many years. He informed Diane Sawyer, in an interview final 12 months, that Aniston remained in shut contact with him all through his complete dependancy battle. “She was the one which reached out probably the most,” Perry mentioned on the time. “You recognize, I’m actually grateful to her for that.”

In Perry’s memoir, Associates, Lovers and the Large Horrible Factor, which was launched final 12 months, Kudrow wrote the foreword.

Associates, created by Marta Kauffman and David Crane, follows the six mates residing in New York Metropolis by way of their ups and downs, trials and tribulations, and relationships and heartbreaks. However it doesn’t matter what they undergo, they continue to be there for each other.

Kauffman, Crane and government producer Kevin Brilliant shared a joint assertion with THR, explaining that they had been shocked and deeply saddened by Perry’s passing.

“It nonetheless appears unimaginable. All we will say is that we really feel blessed to have had him as a part of our lives,” it learn. “He was an excellent expertise. It’s a cliche to say that an actor makes a task their very own, however in Matthew’s case, there are not any more true phrases. From the day we first heard him embody the function of Chandler Bing, there was nobody else for us. We are going to at all times cherish the enjoyment, the sunshine, the blinding intelligence he introduced to each second — not simply to his work, however in life as properly. He was at all times the funniest individual within the room. Greater than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless coronary heart. We ship all of our like to his household and mates. This actually is The One The place Our Hearts Are Damaged.”

Aisha Tyler, who had a recurring function within the last two seasons of the hit sitcom, paid tribute to Perry in an Instagram submit late Saturday, writing, “He had a gentleness and generosity of spirit that was unparalleled. I realized the way to inform a joke completely simply by watching him work. And I’ll always remember the second he leaned in, on my first night time of taping Associates, to inform me warmly, ‘prepare to your life to alter.’ Relaxation properly, Matthew Perry. Thanks for the kindness and laughter.”

Maggie Wheeler, who is thought for her iconic voice on Associates as Janice, Chandler’s on-and-off girlfriend, additionally paid tribute to Perry on Instagram, writing, “What a loss. The world will miss you Mathew Perry. The enjoyment you delivered to so many in your too quick lifetime will reside on. I really feel so very blessed by each inventive second we shared.”

Hank Azaria had a recurring function on the sitcom as David, Phoebe’s boyfriend who moved to Minsk. The Simpsons star shared a video to his Instagram, noting how a lot he liked Perry. “Loads of us who had been near him felt like we misplaced him to medicine and alcohol a very long time in the past as a result of — as he documented in his autobiography — there was a lot struggling,” Azaria mentioned. “I needed to decide up and put down that biography, like, 11 instances, it was so painful for me to learn.”

He continued, “I’m a sober man for 17 years, and I wanna say that, the night time I went into AA, Matthew introduced me in. The entire first 12 months I used to be sober, we went to conferences collectively,” he added. “He was so caring and giving and clever. And he completely helped me get sober. And I actually want he may’ve, you already know, discovered the — discovered it in himself to stick with the sober life extra constantly.”

Brooke Shields appeared on one episode of Associates as Erika, a lady who stars stalking LeBlanc’s Joey after she turns into obsessed along with his Days of Our Lives character, Dr. Drake Ramoray. In a submit on Twitter, the actress wrote, “Actually struggling to search out the phrases. You had been so liked, Matthew. I liked you dearly. Thanks for the stomach laughs. You introduced pleasure to so many. We already miss you … sending all of my like to your loved ones & mates.”

Selma Blair, Yvette Nicole Brown and Warner Bros. Tv Studios had been amongst others in Hollywood remembering Perry.