Tributes are pouring in from around the world as fans mourn the tragic death of Friends actor Matthew Perry.
Matthew Perry, who played lovable and witty Chandler Bing for 10 seasons on the NBC sitcom, died Saturday (Oct. 28) at the age of 54. Authorities responded to a call that a 50-something male was found unresponsive in a jacuzzi at Perry’s Los Angeles-area address. When they arrived, the beloved actor was found deceased.
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As news of Matthew’s death spread, tributes flooded social media as fans shared photos of the actor, clips of their favorite Friends scenes and some of his iconic Chandler lines. One of the most moving tributes making its way around the web on Sunday was footage taken at a concert in Melbourne, Australia.
Thousands of concertgoers joined in on an impromptu singalong of the Friends theme song following Matthew Perry’s death.
American singer-songwriter Charlie Puth led a packed Margaret Court Arena in singing “I’ll Be There For You” by the Rembrandts. The song was the title track for Friends and arguably one of the most recognizable theme songs in television history.
Clips of the moment show Puth on stage playing the piano and leading the massive singalong. At the end of “I’ll Be There For You,” the singer immediately goes into his own hit, “See You Again.” the song was first released as part of the soundtrack for Furious 7 following the death of Fast & Furious star Paul Walker.
“I want to dedicate this song to another song. If it makes you think of a person, that’s who it’s dedicated to. Does this mean anything to you,” Puth said before playing the familiar opening notes to the Friends theme song.
The mashup of “I’ll Be There For You” and “See You Again” paired with the voices of thousands of people touched by the life of Matthew Perry, made for an emotional and fitting tribute. Watch the special moment unfold in the video below.
Two days after Matthew Perry died, his Friends cast mates released a joint statement expressing their grief.
Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer were the other five main cast members on the decades-long NBC sitcom. The group has remained close since Friends ended in 2004, and took time to privately process Perry’s death before issuing a statement.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” the statement read. “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. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
Matthew Perry’s official cause of death is not known.
Records released by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office Sunday afternoon indicate that Perry’s autopsy has been completed, but authorities waiting for toxicology reports before determining an official cause of death.
“In cases where the cause of death cannot be determined at the time of autopsy, a deferred certificate will be issued until additional studies have been completed,” according to the LA coroner’s guidelines.
Law enforcement sources tell CNN that Investigators are planning to use the toxicology reports to determine whether any foreign substances may have contributed to Perry’s death.