'Spread your wings and fly brother': Friends actors Matt LeBlanc, Courteney Cox remember co-actor Matthew Perry

Friends actor Matthew Perry's passing away in October left his fans and co-actors absolutely devastated. American actor Matt LeBlanc, who shared the maximum screen space with Perry in the show, took to Instagram on Tuesday to post a poignant tribute for the late actor. 

On October 28 this year, Perry was found dead at the age of 54 due to an apparent drowning in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home. Matthew Perry became a household name due to his portrayal of the good-looking sarcastic Chandler Bing in the show Friends. He featured on this show alongside Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Courtney Cox,  David Schwimmer and Lisa Kudrow. 

Remembering his co-actor and friend with a heavy heart, LeBlanc said that the two had a great time together, while adding he will never forget Perry. "Matthew, it is with a heavy heart I say goodbye. The times we had together are honestly among the favourite times of my life. It was an honour to share the stage with you and to call you my friend," LeBlanc, known for playing Joey Tribbiani in the popular sitcom, said. 

He further noted that it was an absolute honour to share the stage with Perry and be friends with him. "It was an honour to share the stage with you and to call you my friend. I will always smile when I think of and I'll never forget you. Never," he further said in his post. 

"Spread your wings and fly brother you're finally free. Much love. And I guess you're keeping the 20 bucks you owe me," he said towards the end of his post. Within hours, Courteney Cox, who played Monica Geller in the show, posted a tribute for her co-star.

The two played friends-turned-spouses on the show which ran for 10 years from 1994-2004. Their characters married in season 7 and adopted twins in the penultimate season of the show. 

Sharing a reel on Instagram, she wrote, "I am so grateful for every moment I had with you Matty and I miss you every day. When you work with someone as closely as I did with Matthew, there are thousands of moments I wish I could share."

Matt LeBlanc and Courtney Cox's Instagram posts come weeks after the cast of Friends paid their tribute to Perry. On October 31, the cast of the show paid their last respects to Matthew Perry in a joint statement. 

"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. WE were more than just cast mates. We are a family. There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss," the actors said in a joint statement to People Magazine days after Perry's passing. "In time we will say more, as and when we are able. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty's family, his friends and everyone who loved him around the world," the statement further read.

Perry's funeral took place earlier in November and his Friends co-stars reportedly attended it. A new foundation has also been set up in the actor's name -- Matthew Perry Foundation-- to help people struggling with drug and alcohol addiction. 

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