Emmys 2024 producers reveal why ‘Friends’ cast didn’t attend Matthew Perry tribute

The one in memoriam of Matthew Perry.

The Emmys 2024 honored the late “Friends” star, who died on Oct. 28 due to “acute effects of ketamine,” during Monday night’s in memoriam segment, but Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer were noticeably absent.

While Emmys executive producers Jeannae Rouzan-Clay and Jesse Collins revealed to The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday that the cast of “Friends” was never invited to this year’s ceremony, Collins admitted the Emmys team discussed what an on-stage reunion could look like “early on” in the planning process.

“It’s still very fresh for them,” Rouzan-Clay said of the close-knit leads of the hit comedy.

Collins added, “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.”

The Post has contacted reps for Aniston, Cox, Kudrow, LeBlanc, and Schwimmer for comment.

Perry played a large role in the Emmys’ in memoriam segment as Charlie Puth wove the “Friends” theme song, “I’ll Be There For You,” into his hit song, “See You Again,” which he performed onstage with husband and wife duo The War and Treaty.

The “17 Again” star’s picture was the last to appear on the screen for the segment and was shown a few seconds longer than other late celebs, including Andre Braugher, Barbara Walters, Kirstie Alley, and more.

Collins explained to THR, “There were lots of ideas on how to bring that together. Once we had Charlie [Puth] and The War and Treaty doing the theme, we knew that that was a great base, and then it just became about recognizing 44 people.”

“Yes, Norman Lear and Matthew Perry, you have to give some special attention to, but you don’t want anyone to feel slighted. Everybody’s contribution was significant, and this is their moment inside this package. So the hardest part was really trying to find a balance.”

“We always wanted to do something with ‘All in the Family,’ and that wound up being the perfect setup: starting with Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers onstage and having Matthew Perry be the last picture,” he concluded.

Aniston, who has had a busy award season thus far despite sitting out on the Emmys, was asked by Entertainment Tonight at the 2024 Critics’ Choice Awards how she hopes Perry’s fans will treat his legacy.

“[To] celebrate him,” she quickly stated on the red carpet.

Perry’s ex-girlfriend Lizzy Caplan attended the Emmys with her husband Tom Riley as she was nominated for Best Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or TV Movie for her role in “Fleishman Is in Trouble,” which ultimately went to Ali Wong for “Beef.”