The Reason 'Friends' Cast Missed Matthew Perry's In Memoriam Tribute At The Emmys Revealed

The cast of "Friends" did not attend the 75th Annual Emmy Awards, which honored the late actor Matthew Perry. According to a report, the cast's "fresh grief" played a major part in why they were absent from the show.

Perry passed away on October 28, 2023, at 54, and had openly discussed his battle with sobriety. His cause of death has since been revealed to be the "acute effects of ketamine."

The "Friends" cast members were noticeably absent from the invitation list for Monday's 75th Annual Emmy Awards, where there was an in memoriam tribute to the late Matthew Perry.

Executive producers Jeannae Rouzan-Clay and Jesse Collins shared with The Hollywood Reporter that the decision not to invite them was influenced by how "fresh" the loss of Perry is for the cast. "It's still very fresh for them," Rouzan-Clay empathized.

Collins added that they "talked about" inviting the cast of the '90s sitcom Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer. However, they opted against it, understanding their need for privacy.

"I can imagine, from their side, they're mourning someone who was still very close to them," Collins explained. "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 further explained that the decision to exclude the "Friends" cast from the invite was to avoid playing favorites among those being remembered.

"Yes, Norman Lear and Matthew Perry, you have to give some special attention to, but you don't want anyone to feel slighted," he stated. "Everybody's contribution was significant, and this is their moment inside this package."

During the in memoriam segment of the Emmy Awards, Charlie Puth performed "See You Again," transitioning to the "Friends" theme song "I'll Be There For You." The tribute featured various late stars, including Perry, who was one of the final honorees.

However, while they were absent from the ceremony, Perry's co-stars found other ways to pay tribute to their late friend.

In a statement to People in October 2023, the cast expressed: "We are all so utterly devastated by the loss of Matthew. We were more than just castmates. We are a family."

"There is so much to say, but right now we're going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss," they added.

Shortly after breaking their silence, each surviving cast member took to Instagram to pen a lengthy and personal tribute to Perry. They noted how important he was to them and how heartbroken they were by his loss.

Last December, Aniston, discussing Perry's sobriety with Variety, revealed they were in contact until his final day. She shared, "I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty. He was not in pain. He wasn't struggling. He was happy.

She added, "I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy. He really was dealt a tough one. I miss him dearly."

Perry passed away on October 28, after he was found unresponsive in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home, at the age of 54.

The autopsy report later confirmed the cause of death of the renowned actor as "acute effects of ketamine." Other factors in his death were drowning, coronary artery disease, and the presence of an opioid, buprenorphine.

Before his passing, Perry had openly discussed his 18 months of sobriety and shared that he underwent "ketamine infusion therapy" for depression. The autopsy report further clarified that the ketamine in his system at the time of death couldn't be from recent therapy "since ketamine's half-life is 3 to 4 hours or less."

In his 2022 memoir, "Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing," the "Fools Rush In" actor also opened up about his journey to sobriety and the importance of sharing his story.

"I wanted to share when I was safe from going into the dark side again," Perry said. "I had to wait until I was pretty safely sober—and away from the active disease of alcoholism and addiction—to write it all down. I was pretty certain that it would help people if I did."