Friends star Matthew Perry says 'mean' comments about Keanu Reeves will be removed from memoir

Friends star Matthew Perry has said “mean” comments he made about Keanu Reeves will be removed from future editions of his memoir.

The 53-year-old actor said he will also apologise to the John Wick star “if I ever run into the guy”.

Perry released a memoir titled Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing in 2022, in which the actor details his struggle with alcohol and opioid addiction.

While reflecting on actor River Phoenix's death of a drug overdose at 23, Perry wrote: “Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?”

Phoenix was a close friend of Reeves, now 58.

'Mean thing to do'

When later discussing the death of Chris Farley, the US comedian who died of an overdose in 1997, he also brought up The Matrix actor.

“I punched a hole through Jennifer Aniston’s dressing room wall when I found out,” he wrote. “Keanu Reeves walks among us.”

In the book, Perry discusses his own near-death experiences during his battle with addiction, including when his heart stopped for five minutes while he was in rehab.

While at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books on Saturday, Perry said that he “pulled [Reeves’] name” because he happened to live down the road from the Friends actor.

“Any future versions of the book will not have his name in it,” he added.

He described the jokes as “a stupid thing”, adding: “It was a mean thing to do.”

Perry said that he has not yet had the chance to apologise to Reeves in person, but said: “If I run into the guy, I’ll apologise.”