Why Matthew Perry wasn’t included in the Emmys In Memoriam segment

Matthew Perry fans have questioned why the Friends star was left out of the 2024 Emmy Awards’ In Memoriam segment.

The 76th Emmy Awards took place on Sunday (15 September) at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre, with the controversial Netflix show Baby Reindeer, Hulus’ kitchen drama The Bear and the historical Japan-set series Shōgun all winning big.

Perry, 54, passed away in October last year from “acute effects of ketamine”, but was not included in the tribute section of the awards show alongside stars including Bob Newhart, Carl Weathers, Donald Sutherland and James Earl Jones.

Viewers were quick to post on social media about the perceived snub. “How in the world did the Emmys not include Matthew Perry?!” one person questioned on X/Twitter.

“Did I miss it or did the Emmys not show Matthew Perry?” another baffled fan asked.

Despite the confusion, Emmy Award organisers didn’t forget to include Perry in their list of honours. The Friends star, who died on 28 October 2023, was previously celebrated at the 75th annual ceremony.

Due to Hollywood’s SAG-AFTRA strikes, 2023’s Emmy Awards were postponed until January 2024, hence their inclusion of Perry’s tribute in the broadcast for the previous year.

It comes shortly after Bafta were forced to issue a clarification in February after fans accused the academy of leaving Perry out of their film ceremony’s In Memoriam segment.

Following an outraged response, Bafta explained that Perry’s exclusion was not an oversight and said he would be honoured at the Bafta TV awards instead.

The statement added: “We confirm he will be honoured in our forthcoming Bafta television awards in May, and on the in memoriam section on our website.”

This year’s Emmy Awards were hosted by father-son duo Eugene and Dan Levy, who co-created and starred in the hit series Schitt’s Creek.

“We’re going to keep it light and bright,” Dan Levy told the Los Angeles Times, while his father added: “You’re setting a tone, and it’s our tone. It is what it is.

“It’s kind of tricky when you’re in the weeds, but ultimately we have to be ourselves and go with what we think is funny.”

Awards presenters included Hollywood legend and Mary Poppins star Dick Van Dyke, 97, along with Allison Janney, Martin Sheen, Matt Bomer, Lily Gladstone and Kristen Wiig.

See the winners list in full here.