According to sources, the cast are “reeling” about the death of their “brother” and did not see it coming.
Co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, as well as director Kevin Bright, issued a joint statement following the actor’s suspected drowning on Saturday.
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” they said in a statement given to Deadline. “It still seems impossible.”
David Schwimmer was photographed making a peace sign outside his New York City home on Sunday, while a source close to Lisa Kudrow reportedly said the actress suspects he may have died after taking medication that responded badly to the hot temperature of the water he was found dead in.
Perry’s initial post mortem examination results were inconclusive, according to US media reports.
Further investigations have now been requested, including a toxicology report.
The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner is reported to have said that although an official conclusion is not likely to be released for several weeks, Perry’s body is ready to be released to the family.
Officers from the Los Angeles Police Department responded to a radio call at 4.07pm local time on Saturday for a death investigation of a male in his 50s. The call was treated as a water rescue.
Perry’s body was found in a hot tub at his home, according to unnamed sources cited by the Los Angeles Times.
No drugs were found at the scene, sources said, and Capt Scot Williams, who leads the city’s police robbery homicide division that is investigating Perry’s death, said foul play is not suspected.
The actor was best known for playing Chandler Bing in the American sitcom Friends between 1994 and 2004.
Perry’s personal life was blighted by addiction from 1997, when he became addicted to pain medication after a jet skiing accident.
Matthew Perry attends the GQ Men of the Year Party 2022 in West Hollywood, California. Photo / Getty Images
He later claimed not to remember three years of his time on Friends and to spending more than US$9 million on his fight to stay sober.
He was open about his struggles and expressed the hope that he would be remembered for the work he had done to help fellow addicts.
The 54-year-old’s parents have said they are “heartbroken” following the “tragic loss” of their son.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend,” they said in a statement.
Perry leaves behind his 82-year-old father John Bennett Perry, his mother Suzanne Perry, and a stepfather, Keith Morrison.
Perry never married and is said to have shared a close bond with his family, consisting of five stepbrothers and sisters.
Matthew Perry’s passing is shocking and saddening. I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved – and you will be missed.
