Zac Efron Looks Up to Matthew Perry, Ready to Portray Him in Biopic
In the wake of Matthew Perry’s sudden death, Zac Efron, his co-star from “17 Again,” spoke fondly of Perry and expressed openness to portraying him in a potential biopic. Efron shared his sentiments while walking the red carpet for the world premiere of his new film, “The Iron Claw,” in Dallas, Texas, on November 8.
Reflecting on Perry’s impact, Efron revealed that Perry had previously mentioned wanting him to portray his character in a biographical film. “I’m honored to hear he was thinking of me to play him,” Efron told People, expressing his devastation over Perry’s tragic passing.
“He was a mentor to me, and we made a really cool film together,” Efron said. “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.”
Matthew Perry had expressed his desire to create a movie about his life, with friend Athenna Crosby revealing his intention to cast Zac Efron for the younger version. Crosby shared Perry’s enthusiasm for sharing his story of recovery from addiction to champion a cause to help others.
Perry passed away from apparent drowning on October 28, discovered in the hot tub of his Pacific Palisades home just after 4 pm. Friends and family, including “Friends” co-stars Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, and Matt LeBlanc, attended a service at Forest Lawn Church of the Hills in Los Angeles on October 3, mourning the loss of the beloved actor.
Perry’s father, John Bennett Perry, and stepfather, Keith Morrison, were also present, adding to the somber occasion at a cemetery situated opposite Warner Bros studios, where “Friends” was filmed for a decade.
