Friends actor Maggie Wheeler pays tribute to Matthew Perry after he dies aged 54
Friends star Maggie Wheeler has paid tribute to her co-star Matthew Perry after he was found dead in his Los Angeles home.
The pair became one of TV's most comedic couples on the 90s sitcom with their on-again, off-again relationship.
Wheeler, who played Janice Hosenstein, shared an Instagram post sharing her sadness at the news of the actor's death.
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Perry passed away on Saturday 28 October at the age of 54, according to multiple reports.
The Friends legend was reportedly found dead in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home by police, with no sign of foul play being involved.
No cause of death has been officially confirmed, with a police investigation still underway.
Wheeler wrote: "What a loss. The world will miss you Mathew Perry. 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."
She shared a picture of the pair on-screen smiling at each other.
Wheeler is so far the only prominent cast member to speak out following Perry's tragic death.
Fans of the show flooded her post with condolences.
One wrote: "Jan and Chan forever."
Another added: "I'm sorry Maggie. We are grieving right there with you."
A third wrote: "This is so sad. Terrible news. His legacy will live on forever."
Wheeler secured her spot on Friends after auditioning for the part of a fast-talking New Yorker.
She previously told how she struggled not to crack up in fits of her own laughter around her on-screen love interest, Perry.
Describing her first scene with her hilarious co-star, she said she felt like she was ‘going to lose it’ on set, as Perry continuously downed multiple fake espressos.
“I’m like a little schoolgirl, like ‘I don’t wanna get in trouble’,” she joked, saying: “…so, I devised the laugh so that I could cover if Matthew [Perry] made me laugh.”
After using the over-exaggerated laugh in her first scene and making comedy history, Wheeler was signed on as a permanent cast member in what she described as ‘ten years of glorious, amazing work’.
The pair shot to stardom on the show alongside David Schwimmer, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc and Lisa Kudrow.
The series is still incredibly popular today, nearly three decades on from when it first aired. All seasons of Friends are available to stream on Netflix.
Perry's portrayal of Mr Bing is a big part of that, with his jokes playing a massive part of the show's enduring legacy.
Topics: Friends, Instagram, TV and Film, Matthew Perry, Celebrity
Olivia Burke