"It still seems impossible": 'Friends' creators mourn Matthew Perry's death
Los Angeles, US: Actor Matthew Perry's untimely demise sent shockwaves across the world with fans and celebrities mourning and expressing their condolences.
'Friends' co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and director Kevin Bright issued a joint statement, paying a moving tribute to Matthew Perry, who made everyone fall in love with his role as Chandler Bing in 'Friends' sitcom.
In the statement, the creators recalled how Matthew Perry got the role of Chandler Bing in the audition room and how he made the character of his own, Deadline reported.
"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," the statement read.
The creators said that Matthew Perry's demise has left them "deeply saddened."
"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...," they grieved.
Friends, which followed the lives of six friends in their 20s living in New York, was a smash hit across the globe when it aired between 1994 and 2004, and re-runs still remain hugely popular years later. The makers reunited with Matthew Perry in 2021 for a special reunion episode.
Matthew Perry was found dead at his Los Angeles home in a jacuzzi. No foul play is suspected in connection with the death. He was 54.
