Zac Efron recalled Matthew Perry’s kindness as he paid tribute to the late Friends actor when he was honoured on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday.
The former Disney star, 36, mentioned his late costar, whom he appeared with in 2009’s 17 Again, as he spoke during the event.
Matthew was found unresponsive in a hot tub at his Los Angeles home on October 28 as local authorities said foul play was not suspected. No official cause of death has been revealed.
In a statement ahead of his star unveiling, the organisation noted how Zac had reinvented his career with a variety of diverse roles after his initial success with the High School Musical franchise.
When it was his turn to speak, Zac recalled how Matthew was ‘so kind and generous’ to him when they worked together.
Zac Efron, 36, recalled Matthew Perry ’s kindness as he paid tribute to the late Friends actor when he was honoured on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on Monday
The former Disney star mentioned his late costar as he spoke during the event, recalling how Matthew was ‘so kind and generous’ to him when they worked together
He began: ‘Collaborating with him and [director Burr Steers] — it 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.’
Perry’s friend Athenna Crosby previously told Entertainment Tonight Canada that he had wanted Zac to play him in a biopic following their pleasurable collaboration on 17 Again, which left him impressed by the younger actor’s talents.
‘He said that he wanted to make a movie about his life,’ Crosby explained.
‘And he had worked with Zac Efron in the past on a movie. He said that he wanted Zac Efron to play him as a younger version 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.’
According to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Efron was presented with its 2,767th star, though there are fewer figures honoured, as several icons have multiple stars.
Zac said: ‘Collaborating with him really pushed me into the next chapter of my career, and for that, thank you so much, Matthew. Thinking about you a lot today’
The actors worked together in 2009’s 17 Again (picture din the film)
Perry died on October 28 after apparently drowning in his hot tub, though determination of his cause of death is being withheld until a full toxicological report is completed.
Zac later told People at the Iron Claw premiere that he was ‘honoured’ to hear that Perry had been considering him to portray him in his early years.
‘He was a mentor to me, and we made a really cool film together,’ he continued. ‘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.’
