Matthew Perry has apologised after making multiple remarks about Keanu Reeves in his upcoming memoir.

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In the book, titled Friends, Lovers And The Big Terrible Thing, the actor asked: “Why is it that the original thinkers like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger die, but Keanu Reeves still walks among us?”

Perry made a similar dig later in the book when writing about Chris Farley, the Saturday Night Live star who died of an overdose in 1997. The pair starred together in the 1998 film Almost Heroes.

Detailing the moment he heard that Farley had died shortly after filming wrapped, Perry wrote: “I punched a hole through Jennifer Aniston’s dressing room wall when I found out. Keanu Reeves walks among us.”

In a statement to Deadline released on Wednesday (October 26), the Friends actor apologised for the remarks. “I’m actually a big fan of Keanu,” Perry said.

“I just chose a random name, my mistake. I apologise. I should have used my own name instead.”

Elsewhere in the book, set to be released on November 1, Perry revealed that he almost died four years ago from opioid overuse after his colon burst. According to the book, Perry spent two weeks in a coma, five months in hospital and had to use a colostomy bag for nine months.

“The doctors told my family that I had a 2 per cent chance to live,” Perry told People. “I was on a thing called an ECMO machine, which does all the breathing for your heart and your lungs. And that’s called a Hail Mary. No one survives that.”

In a recent extract, the actor also claimed he kissed Eddie Van Halen’s wife, Valerie Bertinelli, while the guitarist was passed out drunk.