Friends star Matt LeBlanc finally broke his silence regarding the sudden death of his costar Matthew Perry last month. The pair played roommates and best pals Joey and Chandler on the hit sitcom from 1994 to 2004. The characters shared an intense bond, and the actors had unmatched comedic chemistry.

Fans of the iconic show have waited for LeBlanc to weigh in on the passing of Perry. The Lost in Space star took to Instagram today to say his piece. “It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye,” LeBlanc wrote alongside an image of him and Perry from Friends. “The times we had together are honestly among the favorite times of my life. It was an honor to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of you and I’ll never forget you. Never.”

“Spread your wings and fly brother you’re finally free. Much love,” LeBlanc continued. Finally, he ended with a sly reference to Friends. “And I guess you’re keeping the 20 bucks you owe me.”

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Fans Show Their Support for Matt LeBlanc Following His Post About Matthew Perry

Of course, fans supported LeBlanc in his grief over Perry. In the comments under the Instagram post, followers were quick to lend their sympathies. “Oh boy, I was waiting for this,” one fan wrote. “You made me cry and cry and cry, and smile. We are all grieving. We lost one of our Friends. Thanks for this show. It will always be a fave of mine,” they concluded.

“The best duo til the end of time,” another fan commented. “Thank you for bringing us Joey and Chandler. Matthew is in a better place now.” Another fan noted how Perry’s loss is still being felt the world over. “Matthew thousands of people have lost you as a friend,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, other fans are simply still in shock over the loss. “I wasn’t ready for this!”, one follower chimed in. “This hits different,” another fan agreed.

Before his passing, Perry intended to establish a foundation to aid those struggling with substance abuse. In memory of him, his loved ones launched The Matthew Perry Foundation website recently.

Perry himself wanted to be remembered for helping people. In a 2022 interview on the Q with Tom Power podcast, the beloved actor downplayed his stardom in favor of philanthropy. “When I die, as far as my so-called accomplishments go, it would be nice if ‘Friends’ were listed far behind the things I did to try to help other people. I know it won’t happen, but it would be nice.”