03 November 2023 , 20:12
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Matthew Perry's funeral was held in a private ceremony surrounded by loved ones following his sudden death aged 54.
The iconic Friends actor tragically died last weekend, leaving his fanbase devastated over the news of his untimely death. Matthew was found unresponsive in his hot tub in a suspected drowning at the Los Angeles home he had recently moved in to.
While an official cause of death is yet to be confirmed, loved ones gathered to lay Matthew Perry to rest and remember his life at the Forest Lawn Church of the Hills, in Los Angeles, Southern California, is opposite Warner Bros Studios, where the hit series was filmed for 10 seasons.
READ MORE: Matthew Perry's cryptic 'Mattman' posts in the final weeks before his death explained
Mourners escort the casket into the church (Shutterstock / SplashNews.com)His tearful mother Suzanne Morrison, 84, and Dateline journalist stepfather Keith, 76, were both at the private event, as was his father John Perry, 82. In a statement, the family wrote: "We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother. Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend. You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love."
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The cemetery is reportedly opposite Warner Bros Studios, where Friends was filmed for 10 seasons, and is the final resting place of a galaxy of Hollywood stars including Bette Davis, Stan Laurel and Carrie Fisher and Marilyn Monroe. While many of the exterior and cityscape shots were filmed in New York, almost the entire show was filmed and produced at the famous California studios.
Family and friends leave the funeral service of Matthew Perry, at Forest Lawn Cemetery, Los Angeles (SplashNews.com)
Friends and family, including the Friends cast, make their way into the service (SPLASH)The service reportedly ended with a rendition of Peter Gabriel song Don't Give Up, including the line: "No fight left or so it seems, I am a man whose dreams have all deserted, I've changed my face, I've changed my name, But no one wants you when you lose.". The lyrics could be seen as a touching comment on Perry's fight to beat his drug and alcohol addiction - of which he was open about and revealed in detail in his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.
Mourners were seen gathering dressed in all black. Perry's stepfather Keith was earlier seen in a grocery store, casting a sombre figure as he kept his eyes on his phone. He wore a sage-green T-shirt and pushed around an almost-full cart of shopping. Keith has been married to Matthew's mother Suzanne Perry since 1981 and welcomed four more children - Caitlin, Emily, Will and Madeline - with her, but treated the Friends actor as his own.
Mourners make their way into the church for a private ceremony (Shutterstock / SplashNews.com)Matthew's parents were reportedly by his side throughout his struggles with drugs and alcohol. When he was sent to the hospital in 2018 due to an opioid-induced colon injury, they rushed to the hospital to comfort their son. Matthew mentioned this to Diane Sawyer in an ABC news segment in October 2022. “I was like, ‘Whoa, I must be really sick for this to be happening.
Matthew wrote in his memoir how he once again overcame his struggles with addiction in 2021 and how he was living a healthier lifestyle. Earlier this week, the actor eerily posted pictures of himself in his hot tub on Instagram, writing, 'Oh, so warm water swirling around makes you feel good? I'm Mattman.'
Matthew's Friends co-stars will reportedly all be in attendance (NBCUniversal via Getty Images)
His body is said to have been released to his family (Getty Images Europe)Law enforcement says 911 dispatched responders at around 4:00 p.m. PST due to a report of cardiac arrest. When they arrived on the scene, they began water rescue protocol after Matthew had seemingly drowned. At the time, it was reported that there were no illegal drugs on the scene and cops did not suspect any foul play.