The death of “Friends” star Matthew Perry “has cut deep” for co-star Jennifer Aniston, who paid tribute to the comedian on Instagram.
“Having to say goodbye to our Matty has been an insane wave of emotions that I’ve never experienced before,” the “Morning Show” star said in her tribute shared Wednesday morning. “Being able to really SIT in this grief allows you to feel the moments of joy and gratitude for having loved someone that deep. And we loved him deeply.”
Aniston and David Schwimmer became the latest “Friends” actors to share their personal goodbyes to Perry, who died in late October. They each paid tribute to Perry, best known for his portrayal of Chandler Bing, on social media.
Perry was “such a part of our DNA,” Aniston reflected in her post. For years Aniston’s Rachel Green traded snark with Perry’s Chandler. She shared a behind-the-scenes photo of herself and Perry sharing a laugh during their “Friends” days, a screenshot from their text messages and an emotional clip from the episode titled “The One With Rachel’s Going Away Party.”
Aniston praised Perry for his commitment to making audiences, his friends and co-stars laugh. She also told her Instagram followers about her grieving process, which has included revisiting her text messages with Perry and talking to him “every day” despite his death.
“I can almost hear you saying ‘could you BE any crazier?,” she wrote. “Rest little brother. You always made my day…”
Schwimmer thanked Perry for “ten incredible years of laughter and creativity” in an Instagram tribute also posted Wednesday morning. The “American Crime Story” actor, who played Ross Geller on the classic sitcom, shared a photo of himself and Perry dressed in bright “Miami Vice”-like outfits from their “The One With Thanksgiving Flashbacks.” episode.
Perry “could take a straight line of dialogue and bend it to your will, resulting in something so entirely original and unexpectedly funny it still astonishes,” Schwimmer wrote. He also praised Perry for his heart and how he helped make the “Friends” cast feel like a family.
Schwimmer wrote that even 25 years after it first aired, the 1998 Thanksgiving special remains “one of my favorite moments” with Perry.
“I imagine you up there, somewhere, in the same white suit, hands in your pockets, looking around,” he continued. “‘Could there BE any more clouds?'”
Aniston and Schwimmer shared their tributes just a day after fellow “Friends” Matt LeBlanc and Courteney Cox paid their respects. LeBlanc wrote he “will always smile when I think of [Perry],” while Cox revisited a special scene she had done with her on-screen husband.
Perry, who was open about his struggles with addiction for years, was found unresponsive in a hot tub on Oct. 28 and declared dead at the scene. He was 54.
On Oct. 30, Aniston, Cox, LeBlanc, Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow mourned their co-star in a joint statement.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the statement to the L.A. Times said. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
From 1994 to 2004, Perry and his five co-stars shared the screen and entertained thousands of live-audience members in the hit NBC sitcom “Friends.” As Chandler, Perry brought his signature sarcasm to a playful group that quickly became one of TV’s most iconic ensemble casts.
Officials say they are working to determine Perry’s cause of death, but that investigation could take three to six months to complete, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner said earlier this month. Foul play has been ruled out.
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