Friends director James Burrows has reportedly said the cast of the show have been left "absolutely destroyed" after Matthew Perry's death.
Burrows, 82, who directed more than a dozen episodes of the show, revealed on TODAY that he texted Lisa Kudrow, Jennifer Aniston and Courteney Cox immediately after learning of Perry's death.
"I had texted the girls the day we found out," he said. "They were destroyed. It's a brother dying" he told TODAY.
"I had to have a couple of days to just let it soak in.
"He was part of a family and he was the first one to not be part of that family anymore."
On Tuesday, the cast broke their silence after the shock death, paying tribute to Perry.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer paid tribute to their friend and colleague.
"We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just cast mates. We are a family," the statement read. "There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss."
"In time we will say more, as and when we are able," the statement continues. "For now, our thoughts and our love are with Matty’s family, his friends, and everyone who loved him around the world," PEOPLE reported.
The message was then signed by Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc and Schwimmer.
The 54-year-old, who played Chandler Bing on the hit series Friends, was found dead at his home on Sunday.
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