Matthew Perry’s Friends co-stars were seen comforting each other outside the church where the 54-year-old was laid to rest on Friday.
Jennifer Aniston, 54; Lisa Kudrow, 60; Courteney Cox, 59; and David Schwimmer, 57, arrived as a quartet – all in black suits and somber as they prepared to say goodbye to Perry at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles.
After the simple hour-long ceremony, Matt LeBlanc, 56, joined them outside the church and was pictured chatting with other well-wishers.
His tearful mother Suzanne Morrison, 84, and his Dateline journalist stepfather Keith, 76, were both present at the private event, as was his father John Perry, 82. Keith Morrison was one of the pallbearers.
One onlooker told : “Mrs Aniston was one of the first to arrive.” She kept to herself. “This is a high-profile event.”
Located across from Warner Bros Studios, where Friends was filmed for 10 seasons, the cemetery is the final resting place of a galaxy of Hollywood stars – including Carrie Fisher, Bette Davis, Stan Laurel, Buster Keaton, INXS frontman Michael Hutchence and Anne Heche .
Jennifer Aniston (left), Courteney Cox (second from left), David Schwimmer (center), Lisa Kudrow (second from right) and Matt LeBlanc (far right) are seen at Matthew Perry’s funeral on Friday
Jennifer Aniston (back), Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer (center), and Lisa Kudrow (front) are seen at Forest Lawn Church of the Hills in Los Angeles on Friday
The three wives from Friends and David Schwimmer are seen entering the church to attend Matthew Perry’s funeral on Friday
Perry’s gray-haired stepfather, Keith Morrison, served as a pallbearer
Tributes poured in for Friends star Matthew Perry after he was found dead on Saturday
The service ended with a rendition of the Peter Gabriel song “Don’t Give Up,” which includes the lyrics: “No fight left or so it seems, I’m a man whose dreams have all been abandoned, me.” changed my face, I.” “I changed my name, but no one wants you if you lose.”
One viewer told : “There wasn’t a dry eye in the room.” There were lots of tears and laughter. Only close friends and family spoke.’
After the service, Perry was buried in a dark wooden coffin in a family-only ceremony.
After the ceremony, crowds of mourners dressed in black lined the front of the church.
Some were seen hugging and comforting each other. Many wore dark sunglasses to protect their eyes from the bright California sun.
Other stars buried in the beautiful parkland include Brittany Murphy, Paul Walker, Buster Keaton, INXS rocker Michael Hutchinson and actress Anne Heche, who died suddenly after a car accident last year.
The picture shows the hearse carrying Matthew Perry’s body arriving at the cemetery on Friday
Perry’s casket will be carried into the church on Friday
The 54-year-old’s stepfather, Keith Morrison, was one of seven people carrying the coffin
Perry’s casket will be carried into the church on Friday
A van is seen arriving at the cemetery before Perry’s funeral
On Friday, SUVs with mourners can be seen in front of the cemetery
A long line of cars is parked in front of the cemetery in Los Angeles
Friends and family of Matthew Perry arrive at the funeral on Friday
Keith Morrison, Matthew Perry’s stepfather, is seen leaving the church after Perry’s funeral on Friday
The hour-long ceremony was described as simple and ended with a song by Peter Gabriel
Mourners leave the site after the funeral on Friday
Friends and family of Perry leave the grounds after the service
Matthew Perry’s mother Suzanne and stepfather Keith Morrison are seen Friday morning
Heartfelt: Tributes have been left outside Matthew Perry’s home in Los Angeles, including Friends memorabilia
Tributes: On the day of his private memorial service, fans flocked to his home to leave floral greetings
On Monday, Aniston and the rest of the cast — Courtney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow — issued a statement expressing their shock and sadness.
“We are all deeply devastated by the loss of Matthew.” We were more than just cast mates. “We are a family,” the cast said in a joint statement on Monday.
“There is so much to say, but for now we will take a moment to grieve and process this incredible loss.”
“Over time we will say more as we are able.”
“Right now our thoughts and love are with Matty’s family, his friends and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Perry’s cause of death remains unconfirmed, but initial toxicology reports revealed that there was no meth or fentanyl in his system at the time of his drowning.
Mourners are seen outside the church in Los Angeles on Friday
Perry, 54, died on Saturday, leaving the world of show business shocked
The Los Angeles church has been the site of a long list of celebrity funerals, from Stan Laurel to Carrie Fisher. It is unclear whether Perry has expressed his final wishes
Mourners arrive in Los Angeles for the ceremony on Friday
Throughout his life, Perry had spoken openly about his problems with drugs and alcohol.
According to a TMZ report, common narcotics were not found in Perry’s body during initial testing. But more in-depth tests are underway and would reveal whether the beloved actor had any prescription drugs in his system.
When investigators searched Perry’s home, they did not find illegal drugs, but rather prescription medications that were properly labeled and stored in storage bottles.
In his 2022 memoir “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing,” Perry wrote that after his colon exploded in 2018, he was prescribed opiates that he felt were not enough to relieve his pain, leading him to prompted him to turn to street dealers to possibly supply him with opiates OxyContin containing fentanyl.
“The street pills were about $75 a pill, so I gave the guy $3,000 several times a week,” he wrote.
Matthew Perry’s shocking death in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home sparked great sadness
Initial toxicology tests found no fentanyl or meth in Perry’s system, but more detailed testing is underway. When police searched Perry’s home (pictured), they found prescription medications that were properly labeled and stored
After an initial investigation, the Los Angeles County coroner has deferred a cause of death, which could take weeks to determine. Those who knew him claim that Perry was clean and sober at the time of his death.
Perry wrote in his memoirs that he spent $9 million to get sober
Perry wrote at the beginning of his million-selling memoir: “Hello, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name.” My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.’
On Sunday, Perry’s book debuted at No. 1 on Amazon, replacing Britney Spears’ memoir.
When he filmed the hit sitcom Friends in the ’90s, many people were unaware that Perry struggled with addiction and had a strong desire to please audiences.
“Friends” was huge. I couldn’t jeopardize that. I loved the script. I loved my co-actors. I loved the scripts. “I loved everything about the show, but I struggled with addiction, which only increased my feelings of shame,” he wrote in his memoir.
“I had a secret and no one could know.”
“I felt like I would die if the live audience didn’t laugh, and that’s certainly not healthy. “But sometimes I could say a line and the audience wouldn’t laugh and I would sweat and sometimes get cramps.”
Perry wrote, “If I didn’t get the laugh I was supposed to, I would freak out.” I felt that every night. This pressure put me in a bad position. I also knew of the six people doing this show, only one of them was sick.’
The Perry’s Friends co-stars said they were “devastated” by his death and that they were more like family than with the cast
After an initial investigation, the Los Angeles County coroner has deferred a cause of death, which could take weeks to determine. Those who knew him claim that Perry was clean and sober at the time of his death
In his memoir, he recalled that co-star Jennifer Aniston confronted him about being drunk during filming.
“I know you drink,” he remembered her telling him once.
“We can smell it,” she said in what Perry called a strange but loving way, and the plural “we” hit me like a sledgehammer.”
A member of Perry’s recovery program told in an exclusive interview on Tuesday: “Matty didn’t drink.” He was a big part of our AA community. He attended meetings, spoke at meetings and worked with a handful of newcomers.
“He had a sponsor and was a sponsor. “He seemed to be doing well.”
The insider said the actor has been focused on helping others battling addiction and has recently expressed interest in sharing his story at public speaking engagements.
“Matty said he wanted to return to universities and talk about alcoholism. That was his gift. “He was so good at speaking and motivating people,” the source added.
“It was important to him to reach out to the younger generation and spread his message of ‘Don’t Give Up’. He truly lived by those words.
Perry recalled in his memoir that co-star Jennifer Aniston confronted him about being drunk during filming. The couple is pictured together in 1995
“He always made people laugh, even in meetings.” But he was also spiritual, not religious, but spiritual. He followed his words with actions and knew that this was his mission. Help other people, give them hope.
“Matty will forever be the epitome of hope because he never gave up.” He changed his life and helped countless people in the program. More than he could imagine.’
In an interview with , the woman who had lunch with the late actor at the Bel Air Hotel the day before his death said he was so committed to sobriety that concerns about caffeine levels – what It’s entirely possible – being afraid to order a Diet Coke could be an addictive substance.
Model and entertainment reporter Athenna Crosby, 25, also said Perry was full of plans for the future.
He dreamed of making an autobiographical film about his life, with Zac Efron in the title role – and at the same time a cameo as a therapist.
The glamorous brunette told : “I don’t think he had any desire to go back to drugs and alcohol.”
“I think he was so proud to finally be over that hump because he had openly struggled with addiction for decades and had only been in and out of rehab for the last few years.”
“He was relieved that he finally felt like it was behind him, and he tried everything he could to fight it.”
“While we were having lunch, he refused to touch the drinks menu. He said that he is really interested in fitness and pickleball and that he wants to get all of his friends into it.
“I think he was really serious about transforming himself into a completely new man.”
She added: “He was a little shy about ordering a Diet Coke because that’s caffeine, and it’s another thing that some people might struggle with.”
“But then he finally said, ‘I’m feeling really good and this is just a little joy for me.’
“He was concerned about anything that could endanger his health. “He took that very, very seriously.”
Crosby, who met the actor “at the beginning of the fall” after being introduced by a mutual friend, said lunch together was the first they enjoyed.
She recounted how Perry invited her to dinner to talk about her career and said he gave her advice on how to deal with fame and warned her to be careful about the painkillers she took during one upcoming wisdom tooth surgery – and said that these drugs were his gateway into addiction.
She told : “That was the first lunch I had with him.” I had met him in person before and spoken to him a bit, but that was really the first lunch I had with him.
“It’s just so crazy that he passed away the next day because I didn’t know him that well and I met him by chance during lunch.”
“I asked him questions about himself and he was so open. He was such an open book, telling me so many different things. It felt like I had known him for so long and he really made the experience very positive.
“I thought, ‘Oh, great.’ “This is someone I can have in my life, a really good person who I can trust. “And then the next day he’s gone.”
Crosby said she found out Perry had died after seeing a news report and told she was devastated he never got the chance to put his plans into action.
She said: “He wanted to set up his foundation to help people struggling with substance abuse, be it alcohol or drug addiction.”
“He also really wanted to make a film about his life.” He was an actor and wanted to get back into the industry.
“And he wanted Zac Efron to play him, and he wanted to make a cameo of him as a counselor or therapist to kind of give advice to the character that’s playing him.”
“He had a very clear vision of how he was going to take that fact and turn it into a story and use the medium of storytelling to reach people and really use his talents to do that.”
“I really hope that those who are closer to him and his contemporaries and the industry can make this happen.”