Lisa Kudrow Pens Heartfelt 'Thank You' Note To Late Friends Co-Star Matthew Perry
Lisa Kudrow is remembering her late Friends co-star Matthew Perry, who died in October at the age of 54, in the form of a thank you note.
"Shot the pilot, Friends Like Us, got picked up then immediately, we were at the NBC Upfronts," Kudrow's message, posted on Instagram Wednesday, began. "Then... You suggested we play poker and made it so much fun while we initially bonded. Thank you for that. Thank you for making me laugh so hard at something you said, that my muscles ached, and tears poured down my face every day. Thank you for your open heart in a six way relationship that required compromise. And a lot of 'talking.' Thank you for showing up at work when you weren't well, and then being completely brilliant. Thank you for the best 10 years a person gets to have. Thank you for trusting me. Thank you for all I learned about grace and love through knowing you. Thank you for the time I got to have with you, Matthew."
Kudrow is the fifth and final Friends star to share a personal remembrance of Perry, with all of the tributes posting to the actors' respective Instagram feeds in the past 24 hours. (You can read 'em all here.)
Perry died Oct. 28 after his assistant found the actor unresponsive in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home. Initial speculation that he had drowned has not been confirmed, although TMZ reports that there were no drugs found at the scene and foul play is not suspected.
Two days later, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer reacted to Perry's death with a joint statement. "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew," the quintet's statement began. "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," the statement continued. "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, and fellow EP Kevin Bright, also penned a tribute. "We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew's passing," the trio wrote on Oct. 29. "It still seems impossible. All we can say is that we feel blessed to have had him as part of our lives."
Perry's role as Chandler on Friends, which ran from 1994 to 2004, made him and his costars household names. He was nominated for an Emmy in 2002 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series. He was nominated four other times, including twice for his guest work on The West Wing.
Additional TV credits included NBC's Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, CBS' Odd Couple reboot and the short-lived sitcoms Mr. Sunshine (on ABC) and Go On (on NBC).