Salma Hayek Mourns Matthew Perry & Opens Up About ‘Fools Rush In’ Co-star

Oscar-nominated actress Salma Hayek (Frida) posted a tribute to her former co-star Matthew Perry on Monday (October 30). Two days prior, news broke that Perry, best known for his role in the comedy series Friends, had died. He was 54.

Hayek and Perry worked together on the 1997 romantic comedy Fools Rush In. The film follows Alex Whitman (Perry), a New York City project manager, who has a one-night stand with a photographer named Isabel Fuentes (Hayek) while on a business trip in Las Vegas. When Isabel tells Alex she is pregnant, the two decide they will try to pursue a relationship despite some deep cultural differences.

“Two days ago, I woke up to the shocking news that Matthew Perry is no longer with us,” Hayek wrote on social media alongside a photo of her and Perry. “It’s taken me a couple of days to process this profound sadness. There is a special bond that happens when you share dreams with someone, and together you work towards them.”

Salma Hayek added that she was “very moved” when Perry shared on his Instagram stories last year about his fondness for Fools Rush In and how he considered it the best movie of his career. He reiterated his love for the rom-com when he wrote, “To this day, it’s probably my best movie” in his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

“Throughout the years, he and I found ourselves reminiscing about that meaningful time in our lives with a deep sense of nostalgia and gratitude,” Hayek continued. “My friend, you are gone much too soon, but I will continue to cherish your silliness, your perseverance, and your lovely heart. Farewell, sweet Matthew, we will never forget you.”

Fools Rush In earned two ALMA Award nominations – one for Outstanding Feature Film and one for Outstanding Actress in a Feature Film for Hayek.