Watch Charlie Puth’s Emotional ‘Friends’ Theme Song Tribute to Matthew Perry and More at ‘75th Emmy Awards’

While the 75th Primetime Emmys was a time for celebrating the various performers in Hollywood, it was also a time for remembrance as well. Charlie Puth took the stage to commemorate those who passed last year including the late Matthew Perry.

Puth performed alongside The War and Treaty for the show’s in-memoriam segment. The trio performed a rendition of “See You Again,” which was featured in the film Furious 7. Puth designed the song as a tribute to the late Paul Walker, who died in 2013.

“The first time we heard it we knew this was the end song,” said producer Neal Moritz (via Teachrock). “It had a sense of longing and sadness but it was also uplifting as well.” Of the song, Puth also said, “I thought to myself, ‘What would [film co-star] Vin Diesel’s last text message be to Paul Walker the moment he died?’ I decided it would be ‘I’ll tell you all about it when I see you again.’ ”

The Emmys repurposed the song as a way of saying goodbye to all the performers who passed in 2023 and paying homage to their work. Rob Reiner and Sally Struthers took to the stage to introduce Puth and to commemorate the deceased.

“To all of the members of all of our television families who have passed on, ‘Those were the days,’” Struthers said referencing the All in the Family theme song, which she starred in with Reiner.

Charlie Puth Remembers Matthew Perry and Others

The segment featured several performers who passed including Andre Braugher, Barbara Walters, Harry Belafonte, Alan Arkin, Richard Roundtree, Bob Barker, Treat Williams, Lance Reddick, Suzanne Somers, Leslie Jordan, Paul Reubens, Cindy Williams, Kirstie Alley, John Beasley, and others.

Puth paid special dedication to the late sitcom star Matthew Perry, with famously starred in Friends. The musician transitioned the song into a rendition of “I’ll Be There for You,” which is the theme from the sitcom. Perry’s picture appeared at the end of the dedication.

Puth is admittedly a huge fan of the sitcom, having expressed his love for it in the past. It’s actually not the first time that the singer has sung this arrangement. Upon learning of Perry’s passing, Puth also did a similar arrangement at a concert in Australia. He sang the arrangement in reverse, starting with the Friends theme as a tribute to Perry.

[Photo by Emmys/Fox]