Matt LeBlanc Pays Touching Tribute to Matthew Perry: 'Bid Farewell with a Heavy Heart' | Vanity Fair

Written by Chris Murphy

Among the main characters of the Friends series, Matt LeBlanc was the first to pay an individual tribute to Matthew Perry following his demise. LeBlanc, known for his unforgettable role as Joey Tribbiani, the roommate and best friend of Perry's character Chandler Bing, took to Instagram to express his heartfelt tribute to Perry, who passed away on October 28. Perry was found unconscious in his hot tub. 

“Matthew, it is with a heavy heart I say goodbye,” LeBlanc posted on Instagram. “The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life. It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend.”

LeBlanc continued, touching on Perry's publicly known battle with drug and alcohol addiction. "I will always smile when I think of you and I'll never forget you. Never. Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love.” Displaying typical Friends humor, he ended his tribute with: "And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me." LeBlanc's tribute showcased a collection of five pictures featuring himself and Perry, one of which included a memorable image of Joey and Chandler seated in their apartment's canoe, plus a few other memorable moments. 

Soon after, Courteney Cox, who brilliantly portrayed Monica Geller, Chandler's friend who turned into his lover, also paid a tribute to Perry on Instagram. Her post featured a blooper from the famous reveal scene where Monica and Chandler's spontaneous night in London, during Ross's wedding, sparked their unexpected yet perfect romance that ended in marriage and the adoption of twins. 

“I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day,” Cox wrote. “When you work with someone as closely as I did with Matthew, there are thousands of moments I wish I could share. For now here’s one of my favorites.” She included a fun fact about filming with Perry, indicating that Chandler and Monica were originally supposed to have a one night stand, but it turned into more due to fan reactions.

“Chandler and Monica were supposed to have a one night fling in London. But because of the audience’s reaction, it became the beginning of their love story,” she wrote. 'In this scene, before we started rolling, he whispered a funny line for me to say. He often did things like that. He was funny and he was kind.' 

The core group of the Friends cast maintained a close-knit relationship throughout the sitcom's ten seasons that began in 1994. The cast successfully negotiated their contracts together to ensure pay parity and a salary increase in 1996, which led to each earning a record-breaking $1 million per episode for seasons nine and ten. In 2021, they had a reunion for a special on HBO Max.

Following Perry's death, LeBlanc, Cox, Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, and Lisa Kudrow released a collective statement. “We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just castmates. We are a family,” the statement read. “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.”

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