Maggie Wheeler, Who Played Janice on 'Friends', Pays Tribute to Matthew Perry
The 'Friends' actor was found dead Saturday at his Los Angeles home at the age of 54.
Matthew Perry's Friends co-star Maggie Wheeler paid tribute to the late actor after his death at 54. After Perry, who played Chandler Bing on the successful sitcom, was found unresponsive in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home Saturday, Wheeler, who played Chandler's on-again, off-again girlfriend Janice Hosenstein, took to Instagram to pay her respects.
"What a loss. The world will miss you Matthew Perry," she wrote alongside a photo with a grinning Perry from the NBC series. "The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared."
Wheeler had previously posted a throwback to her Friends character in 2021, performing a TikTok parody of the show's theme song with the lyrics changed to indicate Janice's eternal love for Chandler, despite his marriage to Monica Geller (Courteney Cox). "Chandler, I'll wait for you when you and Monica get divorced," she sang. "I will wait for you, you know you always loved me more. You love me, Chandler Bing!"
Several of Perry's other Friends co-stars have paid tribute to the actor following his death. Aisha Tyler, who played Ross Gellar's girlfriend, Charlie Wheeler, wrote on Instagram that Perry "had a gentleness and generosity of spirit that was unparalleled." She wrote, "I learned how to tell a joke perfectly just by watching him work. And I will never forget the moment he leaned in, on my first night of taping Friends, to tell me warmly, 'get ready for your life to change.' Rest well, Matthew Perry. Thank you for the kindness and laughter."
Elliott Gould, who played Monica and Ross' father, who eventually became Chandler's father-in-law, wrote that Perry was "kind, thoughtful, smart, funny and just a terrifically, talented actor." Gould continued, "Matthew told me he was so honored to be working with me. What he didn't know until I told him, was that it was my privilege to play his father-in-law. My heart goes out to his wonderful family. He will be missed by so many but he will never be forgotten."
Perry's family has been grateful for the kind words and support, telling PEOPLE, "We 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."
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