'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
American actor Matthew Perry faced online backlash after he made some shocking digs at Keanu Reeves in his upcoming memoir Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.
According to Page Six, the 53-year-old star seemingly questioned the existence of Keanu Reeves when "talented actors" like River Phoenix and Chris Farley had tragic deaths due to drug overdoses.
Perry fondly remembered Phoenix, with whom he starred in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988), and called him a "beautiful man inside and out."
Matthew Perry also took a dig at Reeves while talking about Saturday Night Live star Farley, stating that he punched Jennifer Aniston's dressing room wall after he found out the news of his demise.
Fans did not take Matthew Perry's dig at Keanu Reeves well
After Matthew Perry's remarks about Keanu Reeves went viral, fans took it upon themselves to defend the star. Several users bashed Perry for questioning the John Wick actor's existence and stated that the actor had grieved River Phoenix's death.
Many fans also pointed out that Reeves has never said anything ill about anyone in the industry, and Perry's remarks were nothing but "evil."
What exactly did Matthew Perry say in his memoir about Keanu Reeves?
In Matthew Perry's upcoming tell-all memoir, he not only opened up about his struggles with alcohol and drug abuse but also reportedly took digs at Keanu Reeves for being alive.
According to Variety, the Friends star shared his thoughts about River Phoenix, stating:
“The list of geniuses who were ahead of their time is too long to detail here — suffice to say, near the top of any such list should be my costar in ‘A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon,’ River Phoenix.”
Perry recalled his late co-star, Phoenix, and brought up Reeves in the conversation:
“River was a beautiful man, inside and out — too beautiful for this world, it turned out. It always seems to be the really talented guys who go down. Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us? River was a better actor than me; I was funnier. But I certainly held my own in our scenes — no small feat, when I look back decades later.”
Later, while discussing Chris Farley's death and his drug abuse, Perry again mentioned Reeves. He wrote:
“His disease had progressed faster than mine had. (Plus, I had a healthy fear of the word ‘heroin,’ a fear we did not share). I punched a hole through Jennifer Aniston’s dressing room wall when I found out. Keanu Reeves walks among us. I had to promote ‘Almost Heroes’ two weeks after he died; I found myself publicly discussing his death from drugs and alcohol. I was high the entire time.”
However, after facing backlash, Perry issued an apology via Deadline. He stated:
“I’m actually a big fan of Keanu. I just chose a random name, my mistake. I apologize. I should have used my own name instead.”
Matthew Perry's memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, will be released on November 1, 2022. In the book, the star opened up about his substance abuse while giving exclusive insights into his personal and professional life among stardom.
