As Hollywood mourns the death of Matthew Perry, one of his former costars Ione Skye has shared her final text exchange with the actor.
Skye, 53, honored Perry via Instagram on Sunday, October 29, sharing screenshots of their last text conversation.
“My last exchange a week ago. I’m very very sad. Loved this guy,” the actress, who starred alongside Perry in his film debut, 1988’s A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon, captioned her post.
According to Skye’s screenshots, Perry sent her a sweet text on October 15 to check in and catch up. “Hi! Hope all is well,” the Friends alum wrote. “I was meditating (I meditate now) and ‘In Your Eyes’ started playing. And I instantly thought of you and how beautiful you are.”
Perry went on to write that he hoped Skye was “healthy and happy,” to which she responded, “Yes, I am both. I think! Good to hear from you. I only have nice memories with you.”
Perry went on to recall one of the nice memories they shared. “That one afternoon, I was just sitting in my apartment, and there you were!” he wrote.
Several fans and celebrities offered their condolences to Skye in the post’s comments. “I’m so sorry honey,” Patricia Arquette wrote, while Questlove commented, “Oh man …”
Skye and Perry portrayed Denise Hunter and Fred Roberts, respectively, in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon. The comedy stars River Phoenix as the film’s titular womanizer as he attempts to elope with his one true love in order to avoid being forced to attend business school.
Skye is one of many celebrities sharing heartfelt tributes for Perry following his death on Saturday, October 28. Perry was found dead in a hot tub after police responded to a call of someone going into cardiac arrest. Initial autopsy results listed his cause of death as inconclusive, pending a toxicology report.
“What a loss. The world will miss you, Matthew Perry,” actress Maggie Wheeler, who portrayed Janice, one of Chandler’s (Perry) love interests on Friends, wrote alongside a snap of them on the sitcom via Instagram on Sunday. “The joy you brought to so many in your too-short lifetime will live on. I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared.”
In addition to being honored on Saturday Night Live and at an NHL game, Adele took a moment to remember Perry during Saturday’s performance of her Las Vegas residency show. “One of my favorite memories of when I was younger, with my friends, and one of my friends Andrew, when I was 12, did the best Chandler impression, and he would do it all the time to make us laugh,” she told concertgoers, per social media footage. “And if anyone was having a bad day or feeling low, he would pretend to be Chandler. And I will remember that character for the rest of my life.”
Gwyneth Paltrow, for her part, recalled having a “magical” summer fling with Perry in 1993 via Instagram on Sunday. “He had shot the pilot of Friends but it had not aired yet. He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was,” she captioned a photo of Perry. “We stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart, but I was always happy to see him when I did. I am super sad today, as so many of us are. I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.”
Perry’s family — he is survived by dad John Bennett Perry, mom Suzanne Morrison and stepdad Keith Morrison — stated that they are “heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother” in a statement to People on Sunday. “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.”
