Matthew Perry from "Friends" dies: the actor who gave life to the iconic Chandler Bing is found dead

Perry’s postmortem examination was inconclusive and Authorities are awaiting the results of toxicological tests.

The LA Times and TMZ, which first reported that the Friends actor had died, said the star was found unconscious in a hot tub at his home.

A Los Angeles police spokesman told CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, that there were no obvious signs of trauma.

Perry rose to stardom thanks to the series “Friends,” a comedy about six young single New Yorkers navigating adulthood that premiered on NBC in 1994 and was on screen for 10 seasons.

The series turned Perry and her co-stars – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt Leblanc and Matthew Schwimmer – into megastars almost overnight.

“With cutting-edge timing and a knack for putting a sarcastic spin on any conversation, Chandler’s character had the series’ best jokes,” the magazine recalled. The Hollywood Reporter (THR).

“But his sarcastic tone masked an insecurity that also made him one of the clumsiest of the group. Chandler’s restlessness and vulnerability led to some of the show’s funniest situations, but also some of its most touching moments,” THR wrote after news of Perry’s death broke.

The show’s creators, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, and its executive producer Kevin Bright, said that Perry’s death “it still seems impossible“reported the website Deadline.

In a joint statement they said Perry was a “brilliant talent.”

“We will always appreciate the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence that he brought to every moment, not only to his work, but to life.”

“He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a generous and selfless heart“.

Referencing the style used for “Friends” episode titles, they ended their tribute with the phrase: “This is really the one where our hearts are broken.”

In a statement issued to People magazine, the actor’s family said they were “heartbroken” and added: “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, as an actor and as a friend.”

Perry’s fans “meant a lot to him and we appreciate their tremendous outpouring of love.”

““We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry.”Warner Bros. Television Group, the company that produced “Friends,” shared in a statement.

“Matthew was an incredibly talented 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 many people. This is a heartbreaking day and we send our love to his family, his loved ones and all of his devoted fans.”

In his memoir “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” published in 2022, Perry recounted his decades-long struggle with alcohol and opioid addiction.

His substance abuse caused him serious health problems, including hospitalization for five months in 2018 after a ruptured colon.

Born in Massachusetts in 1969, Perry grew up in Ottawa, Canada, where he attended elementary school with Justin Trudeau, who would later become the country’s prime minister.

He moved to Los Angeles when he was a teenager. He played Chazz Russell on “Boys Will Be Boys” from 1987 to 1988, and also appeared on series such as “Growing Pains.”

But international fame came with “Friends”, one of the most successful series of all time.

In 2016, Perry said in an interview with the BBC that he couldn’t remember three years of filming “Friends” because of their alcohol and drug use.

The actor also appeared in films such as “Fools Rush In,” “Almost Heroes” and “Whole Nine Yards,” but never found a film project that came close to the runaway success of “Friends.”

With his later television work, however, he gained recognition.

His role as White House associate counsel Joe Quincy on Aaron Sorkin’s “The West Wing” earned him two guest-starring Emmy nominations in 2003 and 2004.

He also played the lead role in Sorkin’s next series, “Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip.” And he wrote and produced his own series called “Mr Sunshine”, in which he played the main character.

“The passing of Matthew Perry is shocking and sad,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau wrote in X. “I will never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world will never forget the joy that he brought them. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved and we will miss you.”.

The actress Gwyneth Paltrow shared how she and Perry spent a “magical summer” together in 1993, in which they swam in streams, shared beers, and “kissed in a field of tall grass.”

“He had filmed the ‘Friends’ pilot but it hadn’t aired yet. He was nervous, hoping his big break would be around the corner. It was.”

She added: “I hope Matthew is finally at peace. I really do.”

Maggie Wheeler, who played Janice on “Friends,” was the first of the series’ actresses to publicly pay tribute to Perry.

Wheeler said the joy Perry brought to “so many” in his “too short life will endure.”

“I feel so blessed by every creative moment we share,” she wrote on Instagram.

Morgan Fairchild, who played Perry’s mother as erotic novel writer Nora Bing, said: “I am heartbroken by the untimely death of my ‘son’Matthew Perry”.

“The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock,” he added.

Cruel Intentions actress Selma Blair noted that Perry was her “longest boyfriend,” adding, “We all loved Matthew Perry, and me especially. Every day. I loved him unconditionally. And he loved me.”

“And I’m devastated. Heartbroken. Sweet dreams, Matty. Sweet dreams.”

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