This story contains discussion of substance abuse.
The world continues to mourn Matthew Perry following his tragic and sudden death.
Fans and celebrities alike have been paying tribute to the late actor and Friends star since he was reportedly found dead on Saturday evening in his Los Angeles home at the age of 54.
Earlier this week, the remaining cast members of Friendsreleased a statement mourning the loss of their former coworker and friend.
"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew," the statement read. "We were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."
"In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world."
Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin Bright, also released their own statement memorializing Matthew's passing.
"We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing. It still seems impossible," they said. "All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives."
"He was a brilliant talent. It's a cliche to say that an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew's case, there are no truer words. From the day we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us."
During a recent interview on TODAY, Marta and David gave further comment in Matthew's memory, and Marta also discussed the last time she spoke with him.
In an exclusive interview, ‘Friends’ creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane remember Matthew Perry.
They speak to @hodakotb about the loss of the actor, the last conversations they had with him and the impact he made in the world. pic.twitter.com/96FcJkbghE
She told Hoda Kotb that she last spoke with Matthew two weeks ago. “It was great," she said of the conversation. "He was happy and chipper. He didn’t seem weighed down by anything."
"He was in a really good place, which is why this seems so unfair.”
“He seemed better than I had seen in a while," she elaborated later in the interview. "I was so thrilled to see that. He was emotionally in a good place. He looked good. He quit smoking… He was sober.”
Marta also said that she was concerned about Matthew while they filmed the Friends reunion special that aired back in 2021, “knowing he had been through everything he’d been through, and every time he had surgery, they’re giving him opioids for pain, and the cycle starts over again."
"So yes, I was concerned about what point he was in the cycle at that moment.”
During the interview, Hoda also asked David about a past statement Matthew had made to People — specifically about how people wouldn't be surprised about his death due to his struggle with addiction.
“I would say that’s probably true given the journey he’d been on, and we were all aware of it," he replied. "There was a part that was kind of bracing for something like this."
"It is still hard to believe, because he was such an alive person that it’s hard to believe he’s not here.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, you can call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) and find more resources here.
