In an exclusive statement to PEOPLE, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer express their profound grief and pay tribute to their late colleague and friend, Matthew Perry, who portrayed the iconic Chandler Bing for a decade on the NBC hit show Friends.
Just two days following Matthew Perry's unexpected demise, the cast members of the beloved television series - Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc, and Schwimmer - come together to share their sentiments in a joint statement, exclusively obtained by PEOPLE.
"Matthew's loss has left us utterly devastated. Beyond being cast mates, we were a family," their heartfelt statement reads. "There's so much we want to express, but right now, we need a moment to grieve and process this incomprehensible loss."
"In due time, we will share more when we're able," the statement continues. "For now, our thoughts and love go out to Matty's family, friends, and all those who cherished him worldwide."
The message is signed collectively by Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc, and Schwimmer.
For an entire decade, Perry delivered a pitch-perfect comedic performance as Chandler Bing, transitioning from a wry wingman to a leading man, earning him an Emmy nomination in 2002.
The series' co-creators, Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin Bright, joined their voices in a joint statement released on Sunday.
"Matthew's passing has left us shocked and deeply saddened. It still feels surreal. We feel privileged to have had him as part of our lives; he was a brilliant talent," they expressed. Reflecting on Perry's iconic portrayal of Chandler Bing, they added, "It's a cliché to say an actor makes a role their own, but in Matthew's case, there are no truer words. From the moment we first heard him embody the role of Chandler Bing, there was no one else for us."
Kauffman, Crane, and Bright's statement continued, "We will forever cherish the joy, the light, and the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment - not just in his work but in life as well. He was always the funniest person in the room. Beyond that, he was the sweetest, with a generous and selfless heart."
The statement concluded with condolences for all those mourning Perry and a touching reference to the Friends title tradition: "Our love goes out to his family and friends. This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken."
