Friends cast “utterly devastated” by the unexpected death of Matthew Perry

The death of Matthew Perry came as a huge shock, and many are still trying to process the unexpected loss of the Friends star, particularly those closest to him. In a joint statement to People, Matthew Perry’s fellow cast members on Friends — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer — spoke out about his passing.

“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” reads the statement from the Friends stars. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss. In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.“

The success of Friends shot each member of the cast to stardom, with Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer quickly bonding and considering one another family. The cast also stuck together when it came to their contracts, deciding to enter collective negotiations going into the third season. This proved to be a wise move as the success of the show led to the cast getting paid $1 million per episode in the final seasons.

Marta Kaufman and David Crane, creators of Friends, shared their own statement along with executive producer Kevin Bright on Sunday. “We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” reads the statement. “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.“

Matthew Perry was found unresponsive in his hot tub at his home in Los Angeles on Saturday. He was just 54 years old. No cause of death has been reported at this time, but Los Angeles Police Department Captain Scot Williams has said that foul play is not suspected.