Fans were left confused about why the cast of Friends did not reunite at the 2024 Emmy Awards. Especially after the death of famed cast member Matthew Perry in 2023. When asked about the decision to not feature the cast of the hit 1990s sitcom, Jesse Collins and Jeannae Rouzan-Clay, executive producers of the Emmy Awards, said the wound is still fresh for many of the cast members.
“We had talked about it early on,” Collins said. “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.”
Ketamine Played Role in Matthew Perry’s Death
It has been less than three months since his untimely death in October 2023. Perry’s cause of death was initially thought to be a drowning incident. He was found face down in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home.
But after an autopsy, the L.A. Medical Examiner found that Perry had been heavily sedated by ketamine one source told PEOPLE magazine.
“The Friends actor died due to acute effects of ketamine, according to an autopsy report obtained by PEOPLE. Drowning, coronary artery disease, and buprenorphine effects (a medication used to treat opioid use disorder) were also listed as contributing factors in his death, which was ruled accidental,” PEOPLE wrote.
Charlie Sheen Reacts to ‘Friends’ Star’s Death
It’s no surprise that the cast of Friends did not want to reunite on a public forum at the Emmys. His death sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry. Charlie Sheen, the star of the hit sitcom “Two & a Half Men,” said he had to turn his phone off when he got the news of Perry’s death.
“That was really sad when that happened. I just read his book. About six weeks ago, and I read it in a day,” Sheen said. “No kidding. Yeah, I turned off my phone. It was so instantly accessible and engaging that I just said, this is all I want to do today. I just stayed in it and it wasn’t like I finished at 2 in the morning. I finished at 8:15.”
Sheen, who has also dealt with addiction during his career said that Perry’s death resonated with him on a personal level.
“I can relate to it, so much of it. Because I was reliving or I was experiencing it with him. A lot of the struggle, a lot of the obsession,” he continued. “When you’re at that fork in the road when there are 76 really good choices, and you go with number 77.”