Matthew Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing in the hit '90s TV sitcom Friends, has died at the age of 54.
First responders found Perry unconscious in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home and were unable to revive him, law enforcement sources told the Los Angeles Times.
Friends, which followed the lives of six young friends living in New York City, aired from 1994 until 2004.
Its final episode was watched by 52.5 million in the US, making it the most-watched TV episode of the 2000s.
In a statement Warner Bros, which made Friends, said: "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."
Watch: Friends fans in Los Angeles react to the death of Matthew Perry
Born in Massachusetts in 1969, Perry was raised in Ottawa, Canada, where he attended elementary school with Justin Trudeau, who later became Canadian prime minister.
He moved to Los Angeles when he was a teenager. His early work included Boys Will Be Boys and Growing Pains.
He became an international star on Friends, alongside his co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow and David Schwimmer. He was cast as the awkward Chandler Bing who was famous for his witty and sarcastic one-liners. Perry's critically lauded portrayal of Bing earned him a Primetime Emmy nomination in 2002.
During his time on the show, he struggled with addiction and anxiety which he described in his memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing which was published in 2022.
During a Friends reunion special, which aired in 2021, Perry's slurred speech prompted concern among fans.
Perry also surprised his co-stars by admitting to having suffered severe anxiety "every night" during filming.
"I loved everything about the show but I was struggling with my addictions which only added to my sense of shame," he wrote. "If I didn't get the laugh I was supposed to get I would freak out.
"I felt that every single night. This pressure left me in a bad place. I also knew of the six people making that show, only one of them was sick."
Watch: Who was the funniest Friend?
He garnered two more Emmy nominations for his appearances as associate White House Counsel Joe Quincy in The West Wing.
His TV work also included the short-lived Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip – written by West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin – while he starred in several films, including Fools Rush In opposite Selma Hayek and his father John – who also appeared in one episode of Friends – 17 Again and The Whole Nine Yards alongside Bruce Willis.
NBC, which aired the programme, tweeted: "He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people around the world with his pitch-perfect comedic timing and wry wit. His legacy will live on through countless generations."
