Matt LeBlanc Pens Heartbreaking Tribute to Matthew Perry: ‘You’re Finally Free’

Matt LeBlanc is paying tribute to his on-screen roommate and best friend of the decade, Matthew Perry, following his sudden death.

The actors played best friends Joey Tribbiani and Chandler Bing Friends. And after Perry’s death last month, LeBlanc, 56, shared an emotional but touching tribute on Instagram with photos of the pair on the set of the NBC sitcom.

“Matthew. It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye. The times we spent together are honestly some of the best moments of my life,” he wrote. “It was an honor to share the stage with you and call you my friend.”

“I will always smile when I think of you and I will never forget you. Never,” he continued. “Spread your wings and fly brother, you are finally free. Much love.”

Concluding the post, LeBlanc joked, “And I guess you’re keeping the $20 you owe me.”

Remembering the life and career of Matthew Perry in photographs

LeBlanc and Perry have long been considered one of television’s most beloved BFF duos, and when the cast reunited in 2021 to film HBO Max’s Friends: The Reunion special — and to talk to PEOPLE for an exclusive look at the reunion — were the usual goofballs.

Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow in HBO Max’s ‘Friends: The Reunion’. Terence Patrick/HBO Max

Reflecting on where they envision their characters in 2021, nearly two decades after the hit sitcom came to an end, LeBlanc told PEOPLE that Joey would probably “open a chain of sandwich shops,” to which Perry added that he’s best friends from the screen, he would later “eat all the sandwiches”.

David M. Bennett/Dave Bennett/Getty

LeBlanc then added to his answer that it would be a “dinosaur-themed sandwich shop,” following up on his co-star’s joke. “Bronto-hamburger.”

As for his own character’s fate, Perry said he believes Chandler “would be a wonderful father” and “a wonderful comedy writer.”

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Later, they joked again as Perry called the chemistry between the cast “magical” and LeBlanc deadpanned, “I’d say awkward.”

“It’s a strange magic,” Perry added.

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During their chat with PEOPLE, LeBlanc also reflected on how it felt to be all in the same room again.

“It’s funny, when we meet, it’s like no time has passed,” he said. “We pick up where we left off.”

He expanded on how connected he felt to Perry and the rest of the cast — Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox and David Schwimmer — as he said of their enduring relationship, “I think everybody has that relationship in life. You know when you talk to to that person, it’s really warm, honest, open. You know there’s no ulterior motive. Those are meaningful relationships.'”

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The cast of ‘Friends’ – Jennifer Aniston, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox and Matthew Perry.

Andrew Eccles/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty

In 2016, LeBlanc also showed support for his TV BFF while attending a screening of Perry’s drama debut, End of longingwhich premiered in London’s West End in 2016.

He shared a photo with Perry after the show, praising his former co-star at the show. “He and the cast were great. Way to go,” LeBlanc captioned the clip.

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Days after Perry’s sudden death at his home in Los Angeles on Oct. 28, LeBlanc and his cast released a statement to PEOPLE, breaking their silence on the loss of their dear friend.

“We are all so completely devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than co-stars. We are family,” the joint statement read. “There is so much to say, but right now we will take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”

“We will say more in time, as and when we can. For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends and everyone who loved him around the world,” they concluded.

LeBlanc, Aniston, Cox, Kudrow and Schwimmer later attended Perry’s funeral in Los Angeles, which took place a week after his death.

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