Even hours after the news of Matthew Perry’s loss at the age of 54 surfaced, many working in the entertainment business are still in mourning for him.
On Saturday, Perry is said to have passed away from what seems to be an accidental drowning at his house, according to numerous news sites. Saturday Night Live, which the Friends star had previously hosted on October 4, 1997 (with musical guest Oasis) at the height of his Must See TV sitcom’s fame and following his leading man turn opposite Salma Hayek in Fools Rush In, paid tribute to the actor later that evening with his name appearing alongside a black and white portrait of him. He had hosted the show on the same night that Oasis was the musical guest.
This past weekend’s episode of Saturday Night Live was hosted by Nate Bargatze, and the Foo Fighters performed as the musical guest.
A spoof of the television show Friends was included on Perry’s episode of Saturday Night Live. Perry portrayed Joey (the part was created by Matt LeBlanc), while fellow cast member Colin Quinn played Chandler. Quinn’s depiction of Joey was not very well received by Perry’s Joey.
On Saturday, Perry’s body was discovered at a residence in the Los Angeles region, according to TMZ, which cited law enforcement authorities as its source. The Los Angeles Times received confirmation from sources inside law enforcement that Perry had passed away.
Officers responded to a call to Perry’s residence about the loss of a gentleman in his 50s, according to a representative for the Los Angeles Police Department who talked to PEOPLE about the incident. However, the spokesperson would not confirm the passed man’s name.
TMZ was also informed that there was no evidence of any kind of foul play being involved, and their sources said that emergency personnel were summoned to the property because of a cardiac arrest.
The request for comment that PEOPLE made to representatives of Perry was not immediately met with a response.
Williamstown, Massachusetts is where Perry was born, however he spent his childhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. When he was a teenager, he uprooted his life and relocated to Los Angeles, where he finally landed roles in television programs such as Boys Will Be Boys, Growing Pains, and Sydney. However, his breakthrough role as Chandler Bing on Friends didn’t come until the show’s premiere in 1994. He was nominated for an Emmy in 2002 for his performance as Chandler, an important part of the group who was portrayed by his future real-life pals Matt LeBlanc, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, and Lisa Kudrow. He played Chandler for a total of ten seasons.
