- The US actor died at 54 in an apparent drowning accident at his Los Angeles home
Image: Courtesy photo
Friends and family have mourned the death of Actor Matthew Perry. The star was - best known for playing Chandler Bing in hit '90s show Friends
The US actor died at 54 in an apparent drowning accident at his Los Angeles home on Saturday 28th / October/2023 however the cause of death is not yet clear amid inconclusive postmortem results, with further investigations underway.
In the wake of his death, Perry's fellow actors and fans come together to honour his life and legacy – praising his comic genius, kindness, and resilience in the face of great personal upheaval.
Maggie Wheeler, who played on-screen girlfriend Janice, said the joy he brought to so many in his "too short lifetime will live on".
"I'm heartbroken about the untimely death of my 'son', the loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock,” Morgan Fairchild, who played Perry's on-screen mother and erotic novel writer Nora Bing, said.
Singer Adele took a moment during her Las Vegas residency performance to pay tribute to the late actor.
Onstage, Adele reflected on Perry’s death despite not knowing him, sharing that some of her favorite memories when she was young involved the actor’s character Chandler. She said her friend Andrew did a great impression of the character and would whip it out to make his friends laugh.
“If any of us were having a bad day or feeling low, he would just pretend to be Chandler and I remember that character for the rest of my life,” she narrated
Actress Gwyneth Paltrow shared a touching tribute toPerry on social media, recalling the “magical summer” they spent together 20 years ago.
Born in Massachusetts in 1969, Perry was raised in Ottawa, Canada, where he attended elementary school with Justin Trudeau, who later became Canadian prime minister.
Perry moved to Los Angeles as a teenager. He starred as Chazz Russell in Boys Will Be Boys and had roles in shows including Growing Pains.
However it was his role in Friends - alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow - that launched him to international stardom.
He was cast as the awkward Chandler Bing, famous for his sarcastic one-liners and his childish behaviour with room-mate Joey Tribbiani.
The role earned him an Emmy nomination in 2002. Regular reruns and streaming services have allowed it to find a new generation of devotees.