Matt LeBlanc pays tribute to Matthew Perry: "It was an honor to share the stage with you"
LeBlanc is the first of the main cast of Friends to post an individual statement following Perry's death
Friends star Matt LeBlanc is honoring his on-screen roommate and best friend Matthew Perry in the most Joey way possible: getting in one final, loving jab.
LeBlanc posted the following tribute on Instagram, along with a series of moments between the two actors both on camera and behind the scenes:
Matthew
It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life.
It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you and I’ll never forget you. Never.
Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love.
And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.
LeBlanc is the first of the main cast of Friends to post an individual statement following the actor’s death on October 29. Immediately following the announcement, the cast posted a joint statement saying they needed “a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.” “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the statement read.
News of Perry’s death also prompted a wave of admiration and grief from the wide-ranging group of people whose lives he had touched, from former cast-mates to the creators of Friends. “I lost a friend in multiple ways, and what’s amazing is the outpouring from the fans who lost a friend of theirs, too,” Marta Kauffman, one of the show’s co-creators said. “I hope wherever he is, he feels it.”
Perry was pronounced dead after being found unresponsive in his hot tub, but an official cause of death has not yet been released. According to his death certificate, released by California authorities this week, the actor’s cause of death is currently “deferred” until toxicology results can be obtained, which could take anywhere from four to six months (per The Independent).