‘Friends’ Instagram account honors Matthew Perry on what would’ve been his 55th birthday
Matthew Perry is being remembered on his first birthday since his death.
The official “Friends” Instagram account posted a tribute to the late actor Monday, on which he would’ve turned 55.
The post featured a photo of Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the beloved NBC sitcom.
“On this day, we remember the light that was Matthew Perry,” the tribute said.
Perry was found dead in his hot tub at age 54 last October after a ketamine overdose.
On Thursday, five people including Perry’s live-in assistant, Kenneth Iwamasa, were charged in connection with the actor’s death.
Iwamasa, who had no medical training, was injecting the drugs into Perry during the final days of his life, including the last three that prosecutors allege resulted in his “death and serious bodily injury.”
Two doctors, Salvador Plasencia and Mark Chavez, were also charged in connection with Perry’s death, as well as alleged street dealer Erik Fleming, and Jasveen Sangha, the so-called “Ketamine Queen of Los Angeles.”
Prosecutors said Plasencia and Chavez allegedly supplied the “17 Again” star with about 20 vials of ketamine in exchange for around $55,000 in cash.
Perry’s final, fatal dose of ketamine was supplied by Sangha, according to prosecutors.
The Hollywood star long struggled with addiction, including during the 10 years when he was on “Friends.”
In a recent interview with the Times UK, “Friends” creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane said they learned of Perry’s struggles with drugs and alcohol while they were shooting the show.
“There was a point where we said to him: ‘Do you want to stop [being in the show]?’ And he was adamantly like: ‘No, this is really important to me,’” said Crane, 67.
Kauffman, 67, shared in the interview how Perry should be honored today.
“Two things come to mind [about how to celebrate him]: One of them is to donate to drug treatment centers — let’s fight the disease. And the second way is to watch ‘Friends’ and remember him not as a man who died like that but as a man who was hilariously funny and brought joy to everybody,” she said.
After Perry’s passing last year, his “Friends” co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer shared a joint statement in which they honored the late actor.
“We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew,” the 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,” they added.
“For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world.”
