Salma Hayek on Matthew Perry’s Death: ‘It Took Me a Couple of Days to Process the Profound Sadness'

Matthew Perry touched millions of hearts in his lifetime, thanks to his iconic character, Chandler Bing, in the American sitcom Friends. But people like Salma Hayek knew the "real" Perry. The Mexican-American actress took a "couple of days to process the profound sadness" of losing one of her beloved co-stars and bid a final goodbye to Perry in a heartfelt post. 

The 57-year-old posted a lengthy tribute to Perry on Instagram on Monday, October 30, 2023. Apparently, the two shared a "special bond" and starred together in a film called Fools Rush In. In one of his Instagram Stories, the Friends alum once referred to their 1997 film as "his best movie." 

Hayek's heartfelt tribute read, "Two days ago, I woke up to the shocking news that Matthew Perry is no longer with us." She added that it wasn't easy for her to "process" the devastating news of Perry's death. "It's taken me a couple of days to process this profound sadness," she said.

The post continued, "There is a special bond that happens when you share dreams with someone, and together you work towards them." Adding, "I was very moved last year when Matthew shared on his Instagram stories how much he loved 'Fools Rush In,' and how he thought that that film we did together was probably his best movie."

The Frida actress recalled she remained in close contact with Perry, and the duo often reminisced about the good times. "Throughout the years, he and I found ourselves reminiscing about that meaningful time in our lives with a deep sense of nostalgia and gratitude." She then got emotional and paid respect to her and everybody's "friend" Perry. 

"My friend, you are gone much too soon, but I will continue to cherish your silliness, your perseverance, and your lovely heart. Farewell, sweet Matthew, we will never forget you," Hayek concluded. On Sunday, Perry's family said in a statement that they are "heartbroken" by his "tragic" death, reported PEOPLE.

"We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother," read the statement. "Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend," adding, "You all meant so much to him, and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love." The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed that the cause of death was apparent drowning, and "no foul play" is suspected. 

In a 2022 interview, Perry recalled Hayek's acting advice to him, which, quoting the actor, didn't make any sense. In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, the 54-year-old mentioned Hayek's 'acting advice' during their 1997 collaboration for the rom-com Fools Rush In. 

"Salma had tried her best, too — she came into my trailer at the start of the shoot and said, 'Let's just spoon a little bit,'" Perry wrote in the book. "I did my best Chandler impression — the double-take-and-sardonic- stare thing — and said, 'Oh, OK! Let's just spoon a little bit!" reported Entertainment Weekly. 

Perry quipped that Hayek always had "very elaborate and lengthy ideas" to tackle the scenes from their film, but her "long-winded ideas weren't always helpful."