Matthew Perry has issued an apology to Keanu Reeves. Photo / Getty Images
Matthew Perry has issued an apology to Keanu Reeves. Photo / Getty Images
Matthew Perry has revealed his plans to remove Keanu Reeves’ name from future editions of his memoir.
The Friends actor caused a stir when he questioned why the John Wick star was still alive when some of his famous friends had passed away in his book, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing but he later admitted he had just chosen a “random name” and never meant anything personal.
Now Perry has vowed to ensure any reprints and future editions of the tome will have the unkind comments removed.
According to the Los Angeles Times newspaper, the 53-year-old actor said during a panel discussion at the outlet’s Festival of Books over the weekend: “I said a stupid thing. It was a mean thing to do.
“I pulled his name because I live on the same street.” He added, “I’ve apologised publicly to him. Any future versions of the book will not have his name in it.”
Friends star Matthew Perry released his tell-all book in November 2022. Photo / Supplied
The 53-year-old actor admitted he was “stupid” to use Reeve’s name and promised to apologise in person if he got the opportunity. He said: “If I run into the guy, I’ll apologise. It was just stupid.”
While Reeves’ is yet to address the comments publically, a source close to The Matrix actor told US Weekly, he was taken aback by Perry’s comments.
“Keanu thought the comments came out of left field,” the source said shortly after the book’s release. “It’s kind of backfired on Matthew anyway, which is why he had to apologise.”
In Perry’s book, the 17 Again actor states several times that Reeves is an actor who “still walks among us” even though “the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die”.
Perry made another remark about Reeves while discussing their mutual friend River Phoenix, who died in 1993 of a drug overdose aged 23.
The Friends actor formed a bond with the late actor after he made his feature film debut opposite him in 1988′s A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon. The two played best friends in the film and remained close until Phoenix’s untimely death.
River Phoenix and Matthew Perry in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon. Photo / Supplied
He says of Phoenix in his memoir: “River was a beautiful man inside and out and too beautiful for this world, it turned out. It always seems to be the really talented guys who go down.”
Perry took another swipe at the Speed actor in his memoir while addressing the death of his late comedian friend Chris Farley, who died in 1997, aged 33, of a drug overdose.
He said: “I punched a hole through Jennifer Aniston’s dressing room wall when I found out (Chris had died)” – before adding: “Keanu Reeves walks among us.”
He later apologised for his comments and insisted he was a “big fan” of the 56-year-old star.
He told People magazine: “I’m actually a big fan of Keanu. I just chose a random name, my mistake. I apologise. I should have used my own name instead.”
