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It was only last year that audiences flocked to social media to criticize the Oscars for what they considered to be glaring omissions from the In Memoriam segment of the 95th Academy Awards. While the online chatter might’ve gone some way in spurring remembrance of the likes of Leslie Jordan, Tom Sizemore and Barbara Walters, it appears users’ effort might’ve been in vain following this year’s BAFTA Awards.
The ceremony, which took place in London and dolled out major wins for Oppenheimer, has caught the ire of the internet after noticeably excluding Friends star Matthew Perry from its In Memoriam segment. Granted, the segment — which saw Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham perform a rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s “Time After Time” — did highlight the passing of notable celebrities like Tina Turner and Harry Potter star Michael Gambon, but Perry’s exclusion caused the most buzz online.
Why was Matthew Perry not included in BAFTA 2024’s In Memoriam segment?
While Perry’s omission from the BAFTAs’ In Memoriam segment was not explained in the ceremony itself, the award show’s response to the backlash provides some insight as to why the Chandler Bing actor was excluded. Reacting to the online chatter with a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), BAFTA confirmed that Perry would instead be remembered at the BAFTA television ceremony, which is set to take place in May 2024.
Ostensibly, Perry’s exclusion from the BAFTA Film In Memoriam might be due to the fact that he is primarily known for his television roles. Alongside Friends, which he starred in for 10 seasons, Perry appeared on television series like Cougar Town, West Wing and Beverly Hills, 90210. In any case, the BAFTAs’ explanation did little to satisfy X users, who took umbrage with both Perry’s initial exclusion and the awards body’s explanation.
Some fans described the omission as “shockingly bad”, while others cited it as the beginning of the “villain origin story.” Multiple users said the actor’s exclusion was “bad form,” “disrespectful,” and “not cool” on BAFTAs’ part, but their criticisms extended to the ceremony’s response, too. Fans were quick to question why Perry would only be remembered in the television ceremony, since the actor has “has made plenty of films.”
Throughout his career, Perry starred in movies like 17 Again and The Whole Nine Yards. Other users questioned the BAFTA’s explanation even further, asking why a musician like Tina Turner be included in the In Memoriam segment while a screen actor like Perry was omitted.
While he might not have been included in this most recent awards show sequence, Perry thankfully appeared in the In Memoriam of the 2023 Emmy Awards held last month, remembered alongside Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Andre Braugher, Euphoria’s Angus Cloud, and Leslie Jordan. Perry died in October of last year at his home in Los Angeles.