Matthew Perry and Maggie Wheeler on ‘Friends’.Photo:Maggie Wheeler/Instagram
Maggie Wheeler/Instagram
Matthew Perry’sFriendscostarMaggie Wheeleris mourning the actor,who died Saturday at age 54.
Wheeler, 62, made several guest appearances throughoutFriends’ 10-season run from 1994 to 2004. She played Janice Hosenstein, the fan-favorite on-and-off girlfriend of Perry’s character, Chandler Bing.
She was known for her distinct nasal drawl as well as her catchphrase, “Oh. My. God.”
Maggie Wheeler and Matthew Perry on ‘Friends’.Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
“So the laugh happened organically in the first rehearsal, because I needed to find a way to laugh, because Matthew Perry is so funny,” she said. “And working with him, I knew right away, I thought, ‘This guy’s gonna make me laugh on set, I’ve gotta be prepared. What am I going to do?’ So I created Janice’s laugh just as a safety measure for when Matthew made me laugh.”
In 2021,she appeared in a TikTok video with performer Jaxand performed a parody of theFriendstheme song, “I’ll Be There For You,” and changed the lyrics to reflect her desire to see Chandler leave Monica Geller (Courteney Cox) for Janice.
“Chandler, I’ll wait for you when you and Monica get divorced,” she sang. “I will wait for you, you know you always loved me more. You love me, Chandler Bing!”
Many of Perry’s other former colleagues have also expressed their sadness.Valerie Bertinelli, who played Perry’s sibling onSydney, a 1990 CBS sitcom, posted a tribute to the star on her Instagram Story, saying, “Rest in peace, sweet man.”
Laura Benanti, who costarred with Perry in the 2012 sitcomGo On, told PEOPLE in a statement, “Matty was a generous, brilliant man of unparalleled talent. I feel grateful to have known him.”
Matthew Perry.Taylor Hill/Getty
Also in a statement to PEOPLE, Perry’sStudio 60 on the Sunset Stripcostar Timothy Busfield recalled a cherished memory he shared with the actor.
“He told me that he once spent an entire evening entertaining a famous director. Taking him to one club after another, thinking to himself, ‘he really likes me, maybe he’ll hire me.’ It wasn’t until the following morning, after a great night, that he discovered it wasn’t the famous director at all. He was just some guy,” he continued. “He told that story on himself. That’s what kind of man he was. Happy Trails, brother. I’ll miss you.”
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Perry, a five-time Emmy nominee, was found dead at his home on Saturday, according toTMZ, which cited sources.
PEOPLE confirmed with a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson that officers responded to a call at Perry’s address regarding the death of a male in his 50s. The representative would not confirm the deceased’s identity.
Representatives for Perry did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
source: people.com
