Death of Matthew Perry: the stars of “Friends” come together for the actor’s funeral

Matthew Perry’s funeral took place privately on Friday October 3 in Los Angeles. The five other actors from “Friends” were present to pay him a final tribute.

Matthew Perry’s funeral took place far from cameras and photographers. The actor, who died on Saturday October 28 at the age of 54, was buried in the strictest privacy in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Los Angeles.

The actors of Friends, the successful series which brought Matthew Perry to fame in the role of Chandler Bing, were all present for this final tribute, as were his parents. This final tribute also took place right next to the Warner Bros studios, where the actor filmed the hit sitcom for ten years alongside Jennifer Aniston, Lisa KudrowCourtney Cox, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc.

Matthew Perry’s funeral took place while the exact circumstances of his death are not yet known. The 54-year-old actor was found unconscious in his jacuzzi, in what appears to be a drowning, but the autopsy was unable to determine the exact cause of his death. Toxicological analyzes are underway, but the results may not be known for several weeks.

The circumstances of his death

Matthew Perry died in his jacuzzi on October 28, 2023, in Los Angeles. He was 54 years old. The preferred route would, for the moment, be that of drowning. Quoted by Fox News, the Los Angeles medical examiner listed “other important leads” that could have led to his death. They have not been revealed publicly.

According to information from TMZ, the actor was returning from a pickleball session, a sport he practiced daily, on the morning of Saturday October 28, 2023. He then asked his assistant to run a race for him. The latter returned two hours later and discovered Matthew Perry unconscious in his jacuzzi, before immediately calling for help. At this time, we do not know what happened during the two hours that passed before his body was discovered.

One of his relatives revealed to TMZ that the actor “had never been happier” than the weeks before his death: the actor had just moved to a new home that he “loved.” He also had professional projects, such as a new film, and ideas for scripts.

The autopsy was unable to establish the exact cause of his death and toxicological analyzes were requested. Initial results have made it possible to rule out two avenues: that of overdose of fentanyl and methamphetamine. Other analyzes are underway to determine whether the actor from the cult sitcom could have consumed other drugs or medication before dying. But the results could be obtained after several weeks.

A long struggle with addiction

At Matthew Perry’s home on the day of his death, no traces of criminal acts were found, nor the presence of drugs. Conversely, authorities found anti-anxiety medications, antidepressants and medications to treat lung diseases. At this time, it is not known whether his death was related to drug use or not.

For years, the American-Canadian actor had serious problems with addiction to painkillers and alcohol because of which he had to undergo detoxification treatment 65 times, according to his memoir published in 2022. The actor had had to undergo numerous operations due to his excessive drug and alcohol consumption.

In 2018, he underwent a seven-hour operation after a gastrointestinal perforation. He was then placed in a coma for two weeks and then remained in hospital for five months to recover. Following this experience, he confided: “I should be dead”, in the introduction to his memoirs. The actor had undergone fourteen stomach operations.

‘Friends’ mourn death of Matthew Perry

Matthew Perry was known for his role in the legendary sitcom Friends, which follows a group of six New York friends: Chandler, Rachel, Phoebe, Joey, Monica and Ross. The series offered ten seasons to many fans around the world, broadcast between 1994 and 2004 on the American channel NBC.

The rest of the cast of Friends reacted to the death of Matthew Perry in a joint press release to the Times on Monday October 30: “We are all absolutely devastated by the loss of Matthew”, reacted his colleagues from the cult sitcom, Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), Courtney Cox (Monica), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), Matt LeBlanc (Joey) and David Schwimmer (Ross). “We were more than colleagues. We are family,” they wrote.

“There is so much to say, but for now, we are going to take some time to grieve and digest this unfathomable loss.” The press release concludes: “When the time is right and we are able, we will say more. For now, our thoughts and love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and all those who loved him around the world.