CNN –
The cast of Friends is taking time to “grieve and process” the death of their former co-star Matthew Perry.
In a joint statement to CNN on Monday, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer and Matt LeBlanc wrote: “We are all deeply devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family.”
“There is so much to say, but for now we will take a moment to grieve and process this incredible loss,” the statement released by their individual representatives continued. “Over time we will say more as we are able. At this time, our thoughts and love are with Matty’s family, his friends and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Perry died Saturday at his home in the Los Angeles area. He was 54.
Matthew Perry’s life in pictures
Perry, 54, starred on the NBC sitcom “Friends” from 1994 to 2004 as Chandler Bing, the charming and sarcastic member of a group of close-knit friends living in New York City. The show was one of the most popular of its time and continued to reach young audiences on streaming platforms.
For his role, Perry was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series in 2002, and in 2021 he was also nominated as executive producer of the special “Friends: The Reunion” on the then-HBO Max.
According to a statement from the Los Angeles Fire Department shared with CNN on Monday, Perry was found “unconscious in a freestanding hot tub.”
“A passerby had lifted the man’s head above the water and brought him to the edge, then firefighters pulled him out of the water when they arrived,” they said when asked about the incident at Perry’s address. “Unfortunately, a quick medical examination revealed that the man had already died before first responders arrived.”
The LACFD said the circumstances are being investigated by the Los Angeles Police Department and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, but there is no suspicion of foul play at this time, a law enforcement source told CNN.
An autopsy has been performed, but investigators are awaiting the results of toxicology reports to determine Perry’s cause of death, the medical examiner’s office told CNN on Sunday. Such reports can take weeks to produce.
On Sunday, “Friends” co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane and executive producer Kevin Bright released a statement to CNN saying they were “shocked and deeply saddened by the death of our beloved friend Matthew.”
“We will always appreciate the joy, light and dazzling intelligence he brought to every moment – not just in his work but in life. He was always the funniest person in the room,” the statement said . “Moreover, he was the sweetest, with a generous and selfless heart… This is truly the one with whom our hearts are broken.”
The chemistry between the cast of “Friends” went far beyond their on-screen dynamic. The actors have remained close since the show ended in 2004.
In an emotional moment on the HBO Max special “Friends: The Reunion” in 2021, Perry said that every time they met, “it was the end of the night. “You just stay with the person all night and that “It was.”
Perry’s comrades also helped him at times to deal with his addiction problems. In his memoir, he recounted how a visit from Aniston to his trailer made him realize his battle with alcoholism wasn’t as secret as he thought.
“‘I know you drink,’ she said,” Perry wrote, later adding that it was “devastating” to be “confronted” by Aniston about his drinking.
Their close bond as a group was also reflected in their business relationships.
In 1996, the cast used a then-groundbreaking negotiating tactic to secure new contracts with their studio: stick together. By the end of the series, each lead actor was earning $1 million per episode.
“It’s a very loving, close-knit group,” Perry said during an interview with Entertainment Tonight in 2021.
“When we see each other, it’s a very heartwarming thing,” he added.
CNN’s Taylor Romine, Josh Campbell, Cheri Mossburg, Dan Heching and Lisa Respers France contributed to this report.