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Topics: Celebrity, Friends, Matthew Perry, Health, Film and TV, US News
Rhianna Benson
Topics: Celebrity, Friends, Matthew Perry, Health, Film and TV, US News
Hollywood stars are continuing to mourn the loss of legendary Chandler Bing actor Matthew Perry, who tragically died at his Los Angeles home in October.
Amongst the hundreds of TV and film stars that have paid tribute to the Friends actor since his passing, is his 90s co-star and long-time pal, Hank Azaria.
Hank - famed for playing Phoebe Buffay's nerdy love interest 'David' on the widely-adored sitcom - was one of the first stars of the show to publicly address Matthew's death.
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"Matthew was the first friend I made in Los Angeles," he began his tribute video posted to Instagram.
"When I moved there I was 21, he was 16. We did a pilot together called Morning Maggie. It never saw the light of day but Matthew and I became really good friends."
The Simpsons star Hank went on: "We were really more like brothers for a long time.
"We drank a lot together, we laughed a lot together, we were there for each other in the early days of our career.
"To me, as funny as he was on Friends (and other things too), in person he was just the funniest man ever. He lived to laugh."
And this week, Hank, 59, has shared new details of his late friend’s funeral, saying the 'sad' service had no shortage of tears and laughter.
The on-screen star and comedian told The Messenger that he'd attended the November 3rd ceremony in the Forest Lawn cemetery in Hollywood Hills.
"You know, sad," he said.
"He was a hilarious man, so we would sort of [be] alternately laughing and crying remembering him."
"We’ve all had people we’ve lost. The world really lost him. In a way it’s nice to have the world sort of sharing with you."
Perry starred alongside Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green), David Schwimmer (Ross Geller), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay), Courtney Cox (Monica Geller) and Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani) in the sitcom, first released on NBC in 1994.
The cast - friends not just onscreen but with close bonds in real life too - returned for a reunion special in 2021, and at the service last week, they came together once again to pay a touching tribute to him.
They wrote in a collective statement: "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.
"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."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677