Matthew Perry removes controversial references to Keanu Reeves from future editions of the memoir

(CNN) one place Matthew Perry He tries to make amends with Keanu Reeves.

The “Friends” star appeared in Los Angeles Times Festival of Books On Saturday, during a panel, he told the audience he plans to remove Reeves’ name from future editions of his 2022 memoir Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

The memoir explicitly tells of Perry’s struggles with substance abuse and addiction, but the actor I faced backlash last fall for references to Reeves that some found offensive including one excerpt about the death of his friend River Phoenix in 1993.

“River was a beautiful man, inside and out – he just turned out to be just too beautiful for this world. He always seemed to be the really talented guys who got it down,” Perry wrote. “Why do original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?”

Perry previously apologized for the comment, saying in a statement to People in October 2022 that he is a “huge fan” of Braves and had just chosen a “random name” in the prose. “I apologize. I should have used my name instead,” he added in the statement.

On Saturday, Perry addressed Reeves again, this time telling the audience “You said something stupid. It was a mean thing to do,” according to the Los Angeles Times.

“I pulled his name off because I live on the same street,” Perry said during the session, noting that “any future copies of the book will not bear his name.”

While Perry has previously apologized to Reeves, he also stated on Saturday that he has yet to apologize to the “Matrix” star in person.

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Perry concluded, “If I met the guy, I would apologize. That was just stupid.”

CNN’s Lisa Resers France contributed to this story.

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