“Friends” star Matthew Perry has apologized for digging at colleague Keanu Reeves in his autobiography. “I’m actually a big fan of Keanu,” Perry told People. In the book, Perry posed the question of why Keanu Reeves is still alive while other actors have died, sparking an outcry from fans of the “Matrix” star.
“Why do thought leaders like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves is still with us?” writes Perry in his memoirs. Heath Ledger died of drug abuse in 2008 before he starred in The Dark Knight as the Joker. “Stand by Me” star River Phoenix died of an overdose in 1993. While it’s arguably meant as dark humor, Perry still seems to wish Reeves had died in the place of what he thought were more talented colleagues.
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And that’s not all: Elsewhere, Perry tries to make a similar comparison. “I punched a hole in the wall of Jennifer Aniston’s dressing room when I [von Chris Farleys Tod] experienced. Keanu Reeves is still with us,” he wrote. Comedian Farley died of an overdose in 1997. The headwind on social media was predictable given Keanu’s reputation as one of Hollywood’s most down-to-earth stars. “Keanu Reeves is, by all accounts, one of the nicest people you could meet,” wrote one user on Twitter. “What impertinence of MP.”
In the statement to People, Perry said he had nothing against Reeves. “I just picked a random name, my fault,” he said. “I should have used my own name instead.”
Perry is publishing his autobiography, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, on November 1. In the book, Perry not only deals with his career, but also with his battle with alcohol and opioid addiction.