The late Matthew Perry reportedly expressed a desire for Zac Efron, 36, to play him in a future biopic. Efron is speaking out about these remarks.
On Wednesday, Efron discussed Perry’s tragic demise with ET’s Cassie DiLaura while walking the red carpet at the Texas Theatre in Dallas for the premiere of his new wrestling biopic, The Iron Claw.
“Matthew is, you know, the best guy in the world,” Efron shared. “I had the best time of my life working with him.”
Together, the two starred in the 2009 comedy 17 Again, where Efron played Perry’s role as a teenager.
Perry “said that he wanted to make a movie about his life,” according to close friend Athenna Crosby, who had dinner with the actor the day before he passed away. She also expressed anticipation that Perry would ask Efron to play a younger version of him, emulating their previous joint roles, to ET in an interview conducted earlier this month.
“I heard that, it’s a huge honor,” Efron told ET. “To think he was thinking of me for that role, I mean I would be honored to do it, to be honest.”
Zac Efron says it's a huge honor that the late Matthew Perry wanted him to play the younger version of himself in a biopic about Matthew's life. ❤️ pic.twitter.com/dR2XZa5MoX
Crosby spoke with ET on Nov. 1, and shared, “He had worked with Zac Efron in the past on a movie, and he said that he wanted Zac Efron to play him as a younger version [of himself] and that he was gonna ask him soon to do that. He was just looking forward to sharing more about his story and his recovery from addiction, and really championing that cause to help more people, so he was so optimistic and happy about everything that he wanted to do.”Matthew Perry and Zac Efron in ’17 Again’.
Zac Efron talks about how “devastated” he is by Perry’s passing while also sharing happy recollections of working with the Friends actor on the 2009 comedy 17 Again.
“He was a mentor to me, and we made a really cool film together,” he says. “I looked up to him, I learned comedic timing from that guy. I mean, when we were filming 17 Again, it was so surreal for me to look across and have him be there, because I’ve learned so much from him, from his whole life.”
On October 28, Perry’s body was found in the hot tub at his Los Angeles, California, home. John Bennett Perry and Suzanne Morrison, his parents, survive him. He was 54 years old.
In Los Angeles, at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, the actor was laid to rest not far from Warner Bros. Studios, the location of his Friends filming. His former cast members Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, and David Schwimmer were among the family and friends who attended the Friday afternoon funeral.
The Iron Claw, starring Zac Efron, opens in theatres on December 22.
A self-confessed binge-watcher and a wordsmith at heart, Ayden uncovers the hidden treasures and cherished classics within the vast library of TV shows and movies. He is happy when he's writing or reading, but he loves to go hiking or camping too! he also loves to play music and sing along with the radio or at karaoke bars. At StreamsGeek, He will take you on a ride to the doors of entertainment.
