Amidst the glamour and buzz of The Emmys Awards, there were poignant and touching moments during the ceremony. On Monday night, the In Memoriam segment, dedicated to remembering prominent figures from the film industry, left attendees teary-eyed as it paid tribute to the late F.R.I.E.N.D.S star, Matthew Perry. Despite a night filled with nostalgic reunions, Perry’s castmates were notably absent from the tribute. The Emmys producers did attempt to involve Perry’s F.R.I.E.N.D.S co-stars in the tribute, but executive producer Jeannae Rouzan-Clay explained that the recent loss of Perry remained an emotionally sensitive matter for them.
“It’s still very fresh for them,” Clay told the Hollywood Reporter. Fellow executive producer Jesse Collins further explained, “We talked about inviting the cast of the 90’s sitcom – Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer during the Emmys planning process but they ultimately decided against it.”
“I can imagine, from their side, they’re mourning someone who was still very close to them. I can’t speak for them, but we all have to respect that they were their own family. It was probably just a little too soon,” Collins added.
Apart from this, Collins also explained that the Emmys aimed to acknowledge and remember all stars in a balanced manner during the segment.
“Yes, Norman Lear and Matthew Perry, you have to give some special attention to, but you don’t want anyone to feel slighted. Everybody’s contribution was significant, and this is their moment inside this package,” the producer told the Hollywood Reporter.
The In Memoriam segment during the ceremony concluded with Perry’s name being the last to appear. The tribute featured musicians Charlie Puth and duo The War and Treaty delivering a solemn cover of the F.R.I.E.N.D.S theme song, I’ll Be There for You after Charlie Puth performed his acclaimed See You Again.
Matthew Perry, who passed away on October 28 at the age of 54, gained widespread recognition and love through his role as Chandler on F.R.I.E.N.D.S, which aired from 1994 to 2004.
Notably, he received an Emmy nomination in 2002 for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series and earned four additional nominations, including two for his guest appearances on The West Wing.
Matthew Perry’s legacy extended beyond his on-screen character. In his 2022 memoir, “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing,” the actor candidly discussed his decades-long battle with addiction. Perry expressed that his primary goal was to help others overcome their struggles, stating during a Q with Tom Power interview in November 2022, “The best thing about me, bar none, is if somebody comes up to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say yes and follow up and do it.”
Ultimately, in the same interview, Matthew Perry also revealed that he wished to be remembered as, “someone who lived well, loved well, and dedicated himself to helping others.”
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