Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has paid tribute to his former school friend Matthew Perry, who has sadly passed away aged 54.
On Saturday (October 28), it was reported by TMZ that the beloved actor - best known for starring as Chandler Bing in Friends - was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles just after 4:00PM.
Perry is perhaps best known for starring in the hugely successful 90s sitcom Friends, alongside Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, and Lisa Kudrow from 1994 to 2004.
Warner Bros. Television Group, which produced the TV show - confirmed the tragic passing in a statement to The Los Angeles Times, which read: "We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry."
"Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros. Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans," they added.
Following news of Perry's death, the late actor's former Friends co-stars Morgan Fairchild, Maggie Wheeler, Selma Blair, Paget Brewster, and Michael Rappaport all shared heartfelt tributes on social media. But it wasn't just those in the entertainment industry sharing their memories of Perry.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share a sincere message to the beloved actor - who was also his old classmate.
Trudeau wrote: "Matthew Perry’s passing is shocking and saddening."
"I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them," he continued. "Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved - and you will be missed."
The 51-year-old Canadian politician and Perry were three years apart in age and attended Rockcliffe Park Public School, an elementary school in Ottawa, Canada.
The actor's mother, Suzanne Morrison, was also press secretary to Trudeau's father, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau.
Perry has previously spoken about his memories of being in school with the prime minister, revealing on Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2017 that he once beat him up with a classmate. Watch Perry speak about Trudeau below:
"I was reminded of this by my friend Chris Murray, who was also in the fifth grade in Canada. He reminded me we actually beat up Justin Trudeau," Perry told the late-night TV host. "We both beat him up. I think he was excelling in a sport that we weren't, so it was pure jealousy. And we beat him up."
There didn't seem to be any hard feelings, as after the story came to light, the politician reached out to Perry on X to say "I've been giving it some thought, and you know what, who hasn't wanted to punch Chandler? How about a rematch?"
According to TMZ, Perry's death is being treated as an apparent drowning, with police sources disclosing that there were no drugs found at the scene and no foul play is suspected.
The Los Angeles Police Department's robbery-homicide detectives are investigating the death.
The cause of death will be determined at a later date by the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.
