The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) faced criticism from fans and celebrities alike after they failed to include Matthew Perry in their In Memoriam segment during the 2024 film awards ceremony on Sunday.

Matthew Perry’s legacy as a movie star

Matthew Perry, who died in October 2023 at age 54, was best known for his role as Chandler Bing in the hit sitcom “Friends”. However, he also had a successful career in movies, starring in films such as “17 Again”, “The Whole Nine Yards”, “Fools Rush In”, and “Almost Heroes”. He also appeared in acclaimed dramas such as “The Ron Clark Story” and “Don’t Look Up”.

Matthew Perry’s cause of death was later determined to be due to acute effects of ketamine, a powerful anesthetic that can have hallucinogenic and dissociative effects. He had struggled with substance abuse and addiction for years, and had been in and out of rehab several times.

Fans’ outrage over Perry’s snub

Many fans of the actor were outraged to see that he was not honored among the other stars who passed away in the past year, such as Chadwick Boseman, Helen McCrory, Sean Connery, and Cicely Tyson. They took to social media to express their disappointment and anger at BAFTA, accusing them of disrespecting Perry’s legacy and contributions to the film industry.

“Shame on you @BAFTA for not acknowledging @MatthewPerry #BAFTA2024,” one user wrote, while another added, “No mention of Matthew Perry in the #BAFTAs memorial?! Bad form @BAFTA.”

A third tweeted, “Only came to make sure I wasn’t the only person saddened at the outrageously glaring omission by @BAFTA of #MatthewPerry during the in memorandum tributes! #BAFTA2024. I’m pleased to see it’s not just me!”

Some fans also posted GIFs and memes of Perry’s “Friends” character, Chandler Bing, to mock BAFTA’s decision. One user shared a clip of Chandler saying, “You can’t make this stuff up.”

BAFTA’s response and apology

In response to the backlash, BAFTA tweeted, “Matthew Perry will be remembered in this year’s TV Awards ceremony,” and shared a link to the academy’s online tribute to the actor. They also apologized for the oversight, saying that they had a limited time to include all the names in the segment.

“We are deeply sorry for the omission of Matthew Perry from our In Memoriam segment at last night’s Film Awards,” a BAFTA spokesperson said in a statement. “Due to the number of people we sadly lost in the last year, we were not able to include everyone in the televised tribute, which is edited to fit the available time slot. We do however feature Matthew Perry in our online In Memoriam gallery, which includes more than 300 names of those we have lost in 2023 and 2024. We will also remember him at our TV Awards ceremony later this year.”

Perry’s previous tributes and co-stars’ reactions

This is not the first time that Matthew Perry has been snubbed from a major awards show’s In Memoriam tribute. In January, he was also left out of the Golden Globes’ segment, which sparked a similar outrage from fans and media outlets.

However, Matthew Perry was included in the In Memoriam segment during the 2023 Emmy Awards in January, where his photo was shown on screen as Charlie Puth performed his 2015 hit, “See You Again,” which later segued into the “Friends” theme song, “I’ll Be There For You.”

Perry’s “Friends” co-stars — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — were not present at the Emmys to witness the tribute, but they had previously expressed their grief and condolences over his death on social media and in interviews.

Aniston, who played Perry’s on-screen wife, Rachel Green, posted a heartfelt tribute on Instagram, writing, “My heart is broken. Matthew was a brilliant, funny, kind, and generous soul. He was a ray of light in every room he entered. He made us laugh harder than anyone else. He was a true friend and a wonderful human being. I will miss him terribly. Rest in peace, my dear friend.”

Cox, who played Perry’s on-screen best friend, Monica Geller, also shared a photo of them together on Instagram, captioning it, “I can’t believe you’re gone. You were one of a kind, Matthew. You always made me smile and laugh. You were the best partner in crime. You were my rock. You were my family. I love you so much. I’m so sorry.”

Kudrow, who played Perry’s on-screen sister-in-law, Phoebe Buffay, posted a video of them singing “Smelly Cat” on Instagram, writing, “This is how I will always remember you, Matthew. Singing and laughing with me. You had such a beautiful voice and a hilarious sense of humor. You were a joy to work with and to know. You were a gift to the world. I’m so grateful for the time we had together. You will always be in my heart.”

LeBlanc, who played Perry’s on-screen roommate, Joey Tribbiani, shared a photo of them hugging on Instagram, writing, “I’m devastated. Matthew was my brother. He was the funniest guy I ever met. He was always there for me, no matter what. He was the coolest dude in the world. He was my hero. I love you, man. I’ll never forget you.”

Schwimmer, who played Perry’s on-screen friend, Ross Geller, posted a photo of them smiling on Instagram, writing, “I’m speechless. Matthew was a genius. He was a master of comedy and drama. He was a brilliant actor and writer. He was a loyal and generous friend. He was a beautiful soul. I’m so lucky to have known him and worked with him. I love you, buddy. I’ll miss you forever.”