Zac Efron pays tribute to a ‘generous’ Matthew Perry at Walk of Fame ceremony
Zac Efron sweetly remembered Matthew Perry on Monday while receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Efron, 36, and Perry, who unexpectedly died in October, starred together in 2009’s “17 Again.” It was one of Efron’s first films outside of Disney’s “High School Musical.”
“I want to mention someone that’s not here today, and that’s Matthew Perry, who was so kind and generous with me when we worked on ’17 Again,'” Efron said during his star ceremony.
“Collaborating with him — it was so much fun and it 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,” Efron said, looking up toward the sky.
The Post has contacted reps for Perry for comment.
Efron’s is the 2,767th star to be added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, per an official press release.
During his speech the actor also reflected on how long he has been in show business.
“I’ve been acting, singing and dancing for as long as I can remember,” Efron said, “but never in my wildest dreams that I’d imagine I would be standing here today.”
Efron previously said he was “devastated” by Perry’s passing and also reacted to the “Friends” star’s reported wish to have “The Greatest Showman” star play him in a biopic.
“I was hugely honored,” Efron said of hearing Perry’s wish on the red carpet for his latest film, “The Iron Claw.”
“It would be extraordinary to do,” he said, adding that he was “still devastated by the fact that he is gone.”
“The Iron Claw” director Sean Durkin and Efron’s co-stars Miles Teller and Jeremy Allen White attended Monday’s ceremony and gave their own speeches at the event.
“For our generation, Zac was and is the first true superstar to come out of our class,” Teller, 36, said at the ceremony.
Perry was found dead in the hot tub of his Los Angeles home on Oct. 28. His official cause of death is still pending toxicology reports, but it is believed he suffered a cardiac arrest. He was 54.
Also on Monday, Jennifer Aniston revealed she texted with Perry on the day of his death.
“I was literally texting with him that morning, funny Matty,” she said, tearfully remembering her longtime co-star in an interview with Variety. “He was healthy. He had quit smoking. He was getting in shape. He was happy — that’s all I know.”
She added, “He was not in pain. He wasn’t struggling.”
Aniston concluded, “I want people to know he was really healthy, and getting healthy. He was on a pursuit. He worked so hard. He really was dealt a tough one. I miss him dearly. We all do. Boy, he made us laugh really hard.”
