Zac Efron delivers a heartfelt message to his late 17 Again co-star Matthew Perry during a ceremony for the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Best known for playing Chandler Bing on the hit sitcom Friends, Perry tragically died in October following an apparent drowning in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home. He was 54 years old.
Speaking at his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony (via Entertainment Weekly), Efron thanks Perry for his inspiration. During the speech, Efron said that Perry was “so kind and generous with him.” He expressed his gratitude towards the late actor, saying “thank you so much, Matthew.” Check out the full quote from Efron below:
[Perry was] so kind and generous with me. [Collaborating with Perry] was so much fun and really did propel me and motivate me in so many ways. It really pushed me into the next chapter of my career.
And for that, thank you so much, Matthew. Thinking about you a lot today.
Zac Efron’s Unique Relationship with Matthew Perry Explained
Perry has received copious tributes from his Friends costars, but Efron’s relationship with Perry comes about differently. In 2009, Perry and Efron starred together in 17 Again, wherein Efron — who was only 22 years old at the time — played a young version of Perry. Efron has described Perry as a “mentor” on this set.
Since the two met over a decade ago, Perry later went on to tell his friend Athenna Crosby that he would love Efron to star as Perry in a biopic about his life. Crosby reported that, shortly before the actor’s death, Perry “said that he wanted Zac Efron to play him as a younger version and that he was gonna ask him soon to do that.” There has been no Perry biopic confirmed, but the late actor’s 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir gives ample content for adaptation should a studio decide to make a Perry-based film.
10 Best Matthew Perry Roles That Aren’t Chandler Bing
From Emmy-nominated guest appearances to outstanding comedy films, Perry’s best roles outside of Chandler Bing exemplified his diverse talents.
At the time the news of Crosby’s statement broke, Efron expressed how “honored” he was to hear that Perry had these wishes. Efron went on to sing Perry’s praises, saying that he “learned comedic timing from that guy.” This idea is further reflected in Efron’s recent comments, which purport that Perry “pushed [Efron] into the next chapter of [his] career.” These show the uniquely close relationship that existed between the 17 Again costars, making Efron‘s statements all the more touching.
