On “Friends,” Matthew Perry and Matt LeBlanc were known as best friends Chandler Bing and Joey Tribbiani — but off screen, the actors had a close relationship, too. LeBlanc shared a glimpse into that friendship Tuesday, after Perry’s death at the age of 54 on Oct. 28.
LeBlanc shared an Instagram post with several photos of the two stars together, writing; “It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye.”
“The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life,” he writes in the caption. “It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. 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,” he wrote. “And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.”
In the photo carousel, LeBlanc included stills from “Friends,” which they starred in from 1994 to 2004 alongside Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Courtney Cox.
Cox, whose character Monica Geller married Chandler in the series’ seventh season, posted her own tribute to Perry on Instagram a few hours after LeBlanc’s.
“I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day. 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,” Cox wrote, sharing a video of a scene from season four in which Monica and Chandler wake up in bed together while in a London hotel. The twist shocked and delighted the show’s fans, and it initiated a romance between the two characters that lasted through the end of the series.
“To give a little backstory, 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,” Cox 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.”
Perry was found unresponsive in the jacuzzi at his Los Angeles-area home last month. An autopsy has been completed but the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office is awaiting the results of a toxicology report.
Tributes poured in for Perry, who played the sarcastic one in the bunch on the hit sitcom, one of the most popular TV shows of the time. His co-stars released a joint statement, saying they were “so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew.”
“We were more than just cast mates. We are a family,” the statement reads. “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
Perry’s family also released a statement saying they are “heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother.”
“Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love,” Perry’s family said in a statement to People.
Fans of the show also flocked to the apartment in the West Village neighborhood of New York City which was used in external shots for the show. Some fans left flowers and signs on the street, while others took to Instagram to share their love for Perry.
“Never met you, never knew you, yet I’ve cried over your passing? Why am I so hurt,” one fan commented on Perry’s final Instagram post before his death.
“I did survive very stressful times thanks to him and the rest of the gang. Feels like losing a friend, doesn’t it?” another person commented.
LeBlanc and Cox are the first two of the five co-stars to share their own posts for Perry.
“I am so crying right now… But thank you for writing this,” one person commented on LeBlanc’s Instagram post.
“He will forever be remembered and loved,” another wrote on his post.
“The sadness I feel right now is the greatest one since 10/28 [Perry’s death],” another commented. “At the same time, these images and your words warm our hearts. Take care! Your friend, also ours in some way, is eternal.”
