The cast members of "Friends" did not receive an invitation to the 75th Emmy Awards ceremony, where a moment was dedicated to honoring the figure of Matthew Perry.
"It's still very fresh [death] for them," Emmy Awards executive producer Jeannae Rouzan-Clay told The Hollywood Reporter.
Fellow executive producer Jesse Collins also said that while they "discussed" inviting the cast of the '90s sitcom — Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — they decided against it.
"I can imagine, for their part, they're grieving for someone who was very close," Collins explained. "I can't speak for them, but we all have to respect the fact that they were a family. Maybe it was too soon."
The in memoriam portion of the awards show paid tribute to many of the late stars, as musician Charlie Puth sang "See You Again" before segueing into Friends' hit "I'll Be There For You."
Perry - who played Chandler Bing on "Friends" - died on October 28, 2023, after being found unconscious at his home in Los Angeles. He was 54 years old.
It was later revealed that Perry died from the acute effects of ketamine. According to the autopsy report, he also died of asphyxiation, coronary artery disease, buprenorphine, an opioid, and other effects.
