“We were more than just film colleagues. We are a family”: after the death of actor Matthew Perry, who played their friend Chandler in Friends, his companions in the cult series published a joint press release on Monday October 30 to express their affection and sadness.

“We are all completely devastated by Matthew’s death,” said Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer in their first speaking engagements since the actor’s death on Saturday at the age of 54. years. He was found unconscious by his assistant in his jacuzzi at his Los Angeles home.

Since the announcement of his death, the former actors of Friends had not spoken. “There is so much to say, but for now we will take a moment to grieve and digest this unfathomable loss,” they explained in their press release. For now, our thoughts and love are with Matty’s family, his friends and all those who loved him around the world. »

Matthew Perry struggled for years with his addiction to painkillers and alcohol. The cause of his death is not yet known. His unexpected death sparked a flood of tributes, from major Hollywood figures to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Ross et Chandler

A true cultural phenomenon, Friends, a series broadcast between 1994 and 2004, left its mark on an entire generation of viewers. It tells the adventures of a group of friends – Rachel, Monica, Phoebe, Joey, Ross and Chandler – in New York, punctuated by romantic relationships, notably between Monica and Chandler and the endless saga between Rachel and Ross.

Since the announcement of Matthew Perry’s death, the co-creators of the series, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, have also reacted. “We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened… It still seems impossible,” they said in a joint statement with executive producer Kevin Bright.

In addition to the success of Friends, which brought him worldwide fame, Matthew Perry had appeared in films such as Love at First Sight and Aftermath and My Neighbor Killer.

In his personal life, the actor struggled with drug problems. In his memoirs published in 2022, he confided having undergone sixty-five detoxification sessions, spending more than 9 million dollars (8.5 million euros). He had also undergone several surgeries related to his addictions. During a recent television appearance, Matthew Perry surprised the audience by admitting to having suffered from severe anxiety “every night” while filming Friends.

According to TMZ, no drugs were found at the scene of the actor’s death on Saturday. Antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications were found in his home.