‘The coolest man I’ve met’: Matthew Perry sends supportive message to former co-star Bruce Willis after aphasia diagnosis

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Matthew Perry has called Bruce Willis “the coolest man” he’s met in a message of support after it was revealed that the actor is retiring due to his health.

In a statement released on Wednesday (30 March), Willis’s family announced that the actor had been living with aphasia, a form of brain damage that impairs a person’s language expression as well as comprehension.

After confirming that the condition had impacted his “cognitive abilities”, the statement read: “As a result of this and with much consideration Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him.”

Since the announcement, fans and celebrity colleagues have shared their tributes to Willis and commended him for his years of work.

On Thursday (31 March), Perry sent a supportive message of his own.

“Dear Bruce Willis, I’m so sorry to hear what you are going through, but you’re still the coolest man I’ve met in my entire life,” his message began.

“You will remain in my prayers for a long long time. Maybe we should get together and watch the whole 10 yards and get a couple of hours of sleep.”

Perry and Willis both appeared in the 2000 crime-comedy film The Whole Nine Yards, which was followed up by a sequel – The Whole Ten Yards – in 2004.

They also appeared together in Friends, when Willis guest starred in three episodes as a love interest for Rachel (Jennifer Aniston).