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 press release saying they’ll include a tribute to the late “Friends” star of their next awards ceremony.
Perry died in his home last 12 months resulting from the acute effects of ketamine and other drugs. He was paid tribute in the course of the In Memoriam segment on the recent 2023 Emmy Awards. The opposite solid from “Friends” have also jointly and individually paid tribute to him within 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 on the Royal Festival Hall in London and has now received loads of heat on social media due to its In Memoriam segment.
The segment, which pays tribute to late stars within 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 began.
On X, formerly Twitter, fans said the omission was in “bad form” from the Academy and distasteful as Perry’s death continues to be 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 within the memorial sequence???”
BAFTA Released A Statement In Response To The Backlash
In response to the large criticism over Perry’s lack of tribute on the awards ceremony, a spokesperson for BAFTA told People Magazine that they “can confirm Matthew Perry might be remembered in our forthcoming BAFTA Television Awards.”
The Academy repeated this stance of their statement posted to X. It read, “Matthew Perry might be remembered on this 12 months’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 a web-based tribute couldn’t suffice.
In addition they identified that Perry was an actor in his own right, though his most famous role was that of Chandler Bing within the hit TV show, “Friends.”
Within the comments of the BAFTA post, they further shared their outrage on the omission. One fan wrote, “But he was a movie actor too!” While one other comment read, “Matthew Perry made loads of movies … 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 reason for 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 non-public funeral ceremony in Los Angeles. Media reports revealed the actor’s funeral was attended by family and shut 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 go to the Recent York City apartment wherein his character, Chandler Bing, lived.
The ‘Friends’ Solid Paid Tribute To Matthew Perry
Since Perry’s death, he’s been honored by various individuals and award bodies across the film industry.
Throughout the 2023 Emmy Awards, the actor was included within the In Memoriam segment, together 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.”
On the time of his death, Perry’s friends and castmates from “Friends” released a joint statement on his passing. It read, “There’s a lot to say, but right away we’re going to take a moment to grieve and process this unfathomable loss.”
After the joint statement, the solid, including Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Lisa Kudrow, Courtney Cox, and David Schwimmer, individually paid tribute to their late friend.
