‘We were more than just cast mates’: Friends cast break silence on Matthew Perry's death

The cast of "Friends" have finally broken their silence over the tragic demise of Matthew Perry. They have released a joint statement to People where they expressed that they were "utterly devastated" by the incomprehensible death of Matthew Perry.

"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. 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," read the statement. 

From 1994 to 2004, each of the five artistes participated in every episode of all ten seasons of the NBC sitcom, save Perry, who died on Saturday at the age of 54 at his Los Angeles home.

"In time we will say more, as and when we are able," the statement continues. "For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world," concluded the post. 

It was Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc, and Schwimmer's first public statement on Perry's demise. 

According to the Daily Mail, Perry's death has left Kudrow "baffled," and she is considering taking in his pet dog Alfred. "Lisa and [the] cast will all be attending his services," the outlet said. "This does not seem real or fair to her or the rest of the gang, because Matthew was finally at peace with himself and having the best year of his life since the release of his book almost exactly one year ago. He was having a good time," it continued.

The "Friends" crew believe that he might have taken some prescribed medicine that wasn't safe to use hours before getting into hot water. 

"The cast is in mourning over the loss of their brother because that's exactly what Matty was - their brother. It's simply heartbreaking," said sources close to Page Six. 

Following an initial inquiry, the Los Angeles County coroner has deferred determining the cause of death, which may take weeks.

On Monday, Salma Hayek, Perry's co-star in the 1997 rom-com  "Fools Rush in" also paid tribute to him on her social media. Perry would described the movie as his "best film".

Fans around the world are mourning Perry, including some who left flowers and poignant messages outside the New York skyscraper that served as the show's exterior.

Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane voiced their sorrow on Sunday, mirroring the style of the show's episode titles, saying that this "truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken."

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Mystery surrounds Matthew Perry's death

Morgan Fairchild, who played Perry's Chandler Bing's mother on the sitcom, and Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler's sometime lover Janice, both had similar feelings.