‘Would mean a lot': Matthew Perry’s ex-GF urges Oscars to honor late actor after BAFTAs In Memoriam snub
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The late 'Friends' star Matthew Perry's ex-girlfriend and former assistant has urged the Oscar organizers to honor him with a heartfelt speech, stating that it has always been his "dream to be recognized" at the event.
Kayti Edwards—who dated him in 2006 and served as his assistant in 2011—urged that the Hollywood actor should be honored during the 2024 Academy Awards' In Memoriam segment after the BAFTAs omitted to name him in February 2024.
Perry, 54, was discovered face-down in his hot tub at his Los Angeles home in October 2023. An autopsy determined that he drowned and died from the "acute effects of ketamine".
Kayti Edwards requests Oscars officials not to snub Matthew Perry like the BAFTAs
Fans were incensed that the 'Friends' star was not included in the In Memoriam list when they honored several other actors at the 77th EE British Academy Film Awards in February 2024.
Days before Sunday night's Academy Awards event, Kayti had talked about her ex-boyfriend and requested that the 'Friends' star be remembered in some way.
"I know that it would mean a lot for him to be honored at the Oscars in some way," Kayti said in an interview with The Mirror.
Kayti, 47, believes Perry ought to receive recognition at this weekend's Oscars, either in the highly-anticipated In Memoriam segment or honoured posthumously.
She added, "'I remember having a conversation with him about how it was always his dream to be recognized and not just for 'Friends'. He was always aware of the sad reality that 'Friends' got tons of awards…but personally, I don’t think he got one."
Perry was left out of the commemoration at the annual BAFTA awards event, despite having an extensive career in Hollywood following his rise to stardom as Chandler Bing on the NBC sitcom.
Perry gained popularity in the 1990s sitcom with Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow, and Matt LeBlanc.
He then starred in many movies, including 'The Kid' starring Bruce Willis, 'Fools Rush In' starring Salma Hayek, 'The Whole Nine Yards' and 'Birds of America'.
A representative subsequently affirmed that Perry's iconic role will ensure his memory at the May television awards. "I can confirm he will be remembered in our forthcoming Television Awards," a spokeswoman added, per Daily Mail.
Kayti Edwards requests police to reopen closed probe
According to the medical examiner's report released in December 2023, Perry drowned and died from the "acute effects of ketamine" with comparable levels of ketamine in his system as a hospital patient under general anesthesia.
Since then, Kayti has insisted that authorities reopen the investigation into his death since she believes Perry was not purchasing ketamine off the street and is afraid he was given drugs by "rogue" medical professionals.
It comes after she saw the 'Friends' actor directly paid nurses to give him as much as 50 Vicodin tablets every day. She also thinks that a similarly dubious physician or nurse may have administered the inexplicable ketamine dose that killed him.
