Admirers of American actor Matthew Perry, known for his iconic role as Chandler Bing in the comedy “Friends”, gathered on Sunday (10/29/2023) in front of the apartment building NY used in the filming of the series.
“I grew up watching him,” said Taylor Lanthier, 26, one of the participants in the pilgrimage, where many left flowers and farewell letters.
The 54-year-old actor was found dead on Saturday and his death testifies to the staying power of “Friends,” a series that aired between 1994 and 2004 and continues to live on for all generations on broadcasts and streaming services.
The drizzle did not prevent visitors from paying their respects on the recognizable corner of the trendy West Village neighborhood where the six-story building sits, adorned in classic New York style with a brick facade and metal fire escapes.
“I’m sure you can find stories about people moving to New York because of ‘Friends,'” said Chris Triebel, 39, who leads tours focused on TV shows and movies filmed in the city.
A woman takes photos of bouquets left by Matthew Perry fans in front of the building where the popular series “Friends” was filmed. (10/29/2023)Image: Brooke Lansdale/AP/picture alliance
And part of that would be due to Perry’s Chandler character, himself a sarcastic twentysomething who long resisted growing up.
“Thanks for the laughs”
“He has had a very important role in my life and has always made me laugh a lot. It is sad to hear of his death,” said Lanthier. “I just wanted to pay my respects,” she added, placing a yellow rose next to a note left by someone else that read, “Thank you for all the laughs.”
Like much of American pop culture, the series has been reevaluated by some in recent years, criticized for its lack of diversity or the simple, sanitized reality it presented.
It was also filmed in California, and the 90 Bedford Street building in New York was used as a set.
However, none of that stopped the West Village neighborhood from becoming a place of interest for people of all generations, who have been making the journey to the building for years, although Central Perk, the New York cafe where friends spent time , was also a product of the scriptwriters’ imagination.
Triebel, the tour guide, had already planned a stop outside the building before the death of Perryalthough the news gave the visit a somber air.
“He’s someone who’s definitely gone too soon,” he said. “I think I could have done a lot more.”
gs (afp, ap, Reuters)
2023-10-30 00:01:12
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