David Schwimmer Reflects On Matthew Perry's Legacy With Nod To Chandler Bing
David Schwimmer paid heartfelt respects to his late co-star Matthew Perry with an emotional Instagram tribute on November 15. "Matty, Thank you for ten incredible years of laughter and creativity. I will never forget your impeccable comic timing and delivery," Schwimmer wrote of his "Friends" castmate of 10 years, posting a photo of the two behind the scenes during shooting. "You could take a straight line of dialogue and bend it to your will, resulting in something so entirely original and unexpectedly funny it still astonishes."
The "American Crime Story" star also reflected on Perry's generosity of spirit, writing, "You had heart. Which you were generous with, and shared with us, so we could create a family out of six strangers." Musing that the photo he shared now "makes me smile and grieve at the same time," Schwimmer ended his tribute with a classic Chandler Bing quip. "I imagine you up there, somewhere, in the same white suit, hands in your pockets, looking around — 'Could there BE any more clouds?'"
After suffering a cardiac arrest, Perry was found unresponsive in his jacuzzi by his assistant on October 28. Previously, the "Friends" cast released a joint statement expressing their collective sorrow at the tragedy. "There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss," Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc wrote at the time.
Matthew Perry loved David Schwimmer for his professional selflessness
Matthew Perry was equally fond of David Schwimmer during their time working together. The late actor praised Schwimmer in his 2022 memoir "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing" for helping the entire main cast (which included Perry, Schwimmer, Courteney Cox, Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc) secure an equally hefty paycheck of $1 million each episode. As Perry noted, Schwimmer, the fastest rising star in the show's beginning, "could have gone it alone and profited more than all the rest." With the cast reportedly getting $22,500 apiece per episode in Season 1, Schwimmer and Aniston began earning more as the Ross and Rachel plotline started dominating.
By Season 3, Schwimmer pitched the idea to his castmates to negotiate contracts as a group, with him and Aniston taking a pay cut to ensure everyone's equal compensation. "David had certainly been in a position to go for the most money, and he didn't," Perry wrote admiringly, lauding Schwimmer's decision "to make us take care of each other."
The familial bond amongst the "Friends" cast certainly permeated through all their interactions over the years. With the cast left "reeling" after Perry's sudden demise, sources told GB News that they were caught blindsided, as he seemed to be "in a really good place" at the time. One insider added that, throughout the "17 Again" star's history of substance abuse, his castmates "fiercely protected him through some of his toughest times."