Gwyneth Paltrow has taken to Instagram to pay tribute to the late Matthew Perry.
The actor, best known for his portrayal of Chandler Bing in Friends, was found dead on Saturday, aged 54. The cause of death has been “deferred” as his initial post-mortem results were found to be “inconclusive”.
Yesterday (October 29), Paltrow posted a photo of Perry and shared details of their past friendship and one particular romantic summer together before his rise to fame. She wrote that they met “in 1993 at the Williamstown Theater Festival in Massachusetts” where they were both “there for most of the summer doing plays.” She described him as, “so funny and so sweet and so much fun to be with.”
She continued with endearing details of their youthful romance, adding, “We drove out to swim in creeks, had beers in the local college bar, kissed in a field of long grass.”
The events recounted by Paltrow were from before Perry became a recognisable figure in millions of households for his role as Chandler Bing, one of the six main characters in the hit sit-com, Friends. The NBC show ran from 1994-2004, where Perry starred alongside Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox.
Paltrow revealed in her caption: “It was a magical summer. He had shot the pilot of Friends but it had not aired yet. He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was.”
Perry’s success in Friends would eventually lead to an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Role and parts in movies such as, 17 Again, Fools Rush In and The Whole Nine Yards.
Paltrow concluded: “We stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart, but I was always happy to see him when I did. I am super sad today, as so many of us are. I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.”
Elsewhere, the entertainment world has reacted to the news of Perry’s death – find all running updates here. The remaining Friends cast are also reportedly working on a joint statement to address Perry’s passing.
The post Gwyneth Paltrow posts touching tribute to Matthew Perry on Instagram appeared first on NME.
