This Matthew Perry Moment At The 2024 Emmys Will Have You Full-On Sobbing
Matthew Perry's legacy lives on at the 2024 Primetime Emmy Awards. The late actor — whose tragic death sent shockwaves through Hollywood and around the world — was given an emotional and heart-wrenching tribute during the "In Memoriam" segment featuring a live performance of "I'll Be There For You" by singer Charlie Puth, alongside the musical duo The War and Treaty. Perry — whose role as Chandler Bing on "Friends" earned him an Emmy nomination for lead actor in a comedy series — died on October 28, 2023, after being found unconscious in his Los Angeles home. He was 54 years old. CNN reported that his official cause of death was "acute effects of ketamine," with other contributing factors listed as accidental drowning. Aside from Perry, other notable stars included in the "In Memoriam" segment of this year's Emmy Awards were Norman Lear, André Braugher, Suzanne Somers, Barbara Walters, and Kirstie Alley.
Prior to the awards show, the Television Academy's Jesse Collins said in a statement to Variety that Perry's sudden death "was a tremendous loss for us all" and that "we are working to create a moment that shines a light on him ... as we are with so many other people that we lost this year." She added, "The list of people that we have lost this year is truly some of the best people that have ever worked in television. And so, it's been challenging to figure out how to make sure that everyone gets their flowers." It seems that Perry certainly got his, and fans took notice of the heart-wrenching moment.
Fans react to the Television Academy's emotional tribute to Perry
Fans were moved by the Television Academy's tribute to late actor Matthew Perry during the 75th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, with many taking to social media to laud the touching moment. "Wow the Friends theme song / Matthew Perry tribute at the #Emmys really just took me out," wrote one user on X, formerly known as Twitter. "This was a really rough year. And Matthew Perry still hurts," another commented, adding a crying face emoji. Meanwhile, one fan said, "I'm kinda glad the whole cast didn't come out. The first note of the theme song sent me into a spiral. Matthew Perry forever."
In November 2023, reports surfaced that Perry's "Friends" co-stars — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer — were in the process of organizing a special tribute to the actor to be presented live at the 2024 Emmys. "Jen, Lisa, and the rest of the cast want to honor him publicly at some point and give him the tribute he so rightfully deserves," a source told the Daily Mail, adding that the cast wanted to share their favorite memories of Perry and "tell the world about the man he was in real life." Earlier, Aniston spoke about Perry while chatting to the press during the 2024 Critics Choice Awards. Asked by ET how she hopes fans will continue to remember Perry and keep his legacy alive, the actor said with a smile, "To celebrate him."