Emmys 2024 producers reveal why ‘Friends’ cast didn’t attend Matthew Perry tribute
17.01.2024 - 03:29
/ nypost.com
died on Oct. 28 due to “acute effects of ketamine,” during Monday night’s in memoriam segment, but Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer were noticeably absent.
While Emmys executive producers Jeannae Rouzan-Clay and Jesse Collins revealed to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday that the cast of “Friends” was never invited to this year’s ceremony, Collins admitted the Emmys team discussed what an on-stage reunion could look like “early on” in the planning process. “It’s still very fresh for them,” Rouzan-Clay said of the close-knit leads of the hit comedy.
Collins added, “But 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.”The Post has contacted reps for Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc, and Schwimmer for comment. Perry played a large role in the Emmys’ in memoriam segment as Charlie Puth wove the “Friends” theme song, “I’ll Be There For You,” into his hit song, “See You Again,” which he performed onstage with husband and wife duo The War and Treaty.The “17 Again” star’s picture was the last to appear on the screen for the segment and was shown a few seconds longer than other late celebs, including Andre Braugher, Barbara Walters, Kirstie Alley, and more.
Collins explained to THR, “There were lots of ideas on how to bring that together. Once we had Charlie [Puth] and The War and Treaty doing the theme, we knew that that was a great base, and then it just became about recognizing 44 people.”“Yes, Norman Lear and Matthew Perry, you have to give some special attention to, but you don’t want anyone to feel slighted.
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