“Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman, David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright are heartbroken over the death of Matthew Perry, who played the popular Chandler Bing on the hit NBC sitcom.
Perry died Oct. 28 at the age of 54 in his LA home of an apparent drowning.
“We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,” they said in a joint statement to People. “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.”
Kauffman, Crane and Bright said they knew that Perry was right for the role of Chandler when they first met him.
“It’s a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew’s case, there are no truer words,” they said. “From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us.”
They also praised Perry as a person, noting his intelligence and his sense of humor.
“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,” they said in their statement. “He was always the funniest person in the room.
“More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.”
Their last words included a nod to how the “Friends” episode titles always began with “The One.”
“We send all of our love to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken,” they concluded.
Hour earlier, Perry’s family broke their silence to the outlet.
“We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother,” the statement read on Sunday. “Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.”
They added: “You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.”