After skipping the late Matthew Perry from their In Memoriam segment and receiving backlash on social media, the BAFTAs are retracing their steps.
The British Academy of Film and Television Arts issued a statement saying they’ll include a tribute to the late “Friends” star in their next awards ceremony.
Perry died in his home last year due to the acute effects of ketamine and other drugs. He was paid tribute during the In Memoriam segment at the recent 2023 Emmy Awards. The other cast from “Friends” have also jointly and individually paid tribute to him in the months since his death.
There Was Criticism Over Matthew Perry’s Absence From BAFTA’s In Memoriam Segment
The 2024 BAFTA Awards were recently held at the Royal Festival Hall in London and has now received a lot of heat on social media because of its In Memoriam segment.
The segment, which pays tribute to late stars in the British Film and Television Arts industry, was missing one big name, Matthew Perry.
After the tape of the awards ceremony aired and fans noticed Perry’s absence, the social media criticism started.
On X, formerly Twitter, fans said the omission was in “bad form” from the Academy and distasteful as Perry’s death is still fresh on everyone’s minds. Some others noted that the “Friends” actor’s absence was a “shockingly bad” decision and a surprising omission.
One viral tweet demanded answers with the post, “Why wasn’t [Matthew Perry] included in the memorial sequence???”
BAFTA Released A Statement In Response To The Backlash
In response to the massive criticism over Perry’s lack of tribute at the awards ceremony, a spokesperson for BAFTA told People Magazine that they “can confirm Matthew Perry will be remembered in our forthcoming BAFTA Television Awards.”
The Academy repeated this stance in their statement posted to X. It read, “Matthew Perry will be remembered in this year’s TV Awards ceremony.”
The tweet also included a link to their online tribute to Perry, which unfortunately didn’t satisfy fans on the social media platform.
Many users insisted that his absence from the In Memoriam segment was insulting and an online tribute couldn’t suffice.
They also pointed out that Perry was an actor in his own right, even though his most famous role was that of Chandler Bing in the hit TV show, “Friends.”
In the comments of the BAFTA post, they further shared their outrage at the omission. One fan wrote, “But he was a film actor too!” While another comment read, “Matthew Perry made plenty of films … That was a poor decision,” and referenced his film, “The Whole Nine Yards.”
Matthew Perry Was Found Dead In His Home
Perry died on October 28, 2023, in his Los Angeles home. His cause of death was thoroughly investigated and determined to be the acute effects of ketamine mixed with other contributing drugs.
Ketamine is a drug used to treat depression that induces deep sedation and slower respiratory cycles.
After his death was announced, Perry was buried in a private funeral ceremony in Los Angeles. Media reports revealed the actor’s funeral was attended by family and close friends, including his five co-stars from “Friends.”
Perry was only engaged once, never married, and never had children. The actor’s death caused many fans of the show “Friends” to travel far and wide to visit the New York City apartment in which his character, Chandler Bing, lived.
The ‘Friends’ Cast Paid Tribute To Matthew Perry
Since Perry’s death, he’s been honored by various individuals and award bodies across the film industry.
During the 2023 Emmy Awards, the actor was included in the In Memoriam segment, with his photo shown while singer Charlie Puth Performed his hit, “See You Again.” The song then transitioned into the famous theme song for “Friends,” “I’ll Be There for You.”
At the time of his death, Perry’s friends and castmates from “Friends” released a joint statement on his passing. It read, “There is so much to say, but right now we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
After the joint statement, the cast, including Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Courtney Cox, and David Schwimmer, individually paid tribute to their late friend.