Why Woody Harrelson Was Absent From the 'Cheers' Reunion at the Emmys
The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards included some unforgettable moments and exhilarating victories for those creatives honored. One part of the show included a cast reunion of the beloved '80s sitcom Cheers. Ted Danson, Kelsey Grammer, Rhea Perlman, John Ratzenberger, and George Wendt were all in attendance for the event. Notably missing, though, was Woody Harrelson.
The awards show's executive producer Jesse Collins explained Harrelson's absence in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. Because the Emmy winner is currently starring in the play Ulster American in London, he couldn't make it all the way to Los Angeles for the ceremony.
"Woody Harrelson couldn’t make Cheers because he’s in a play," Collins said. "So there were a few people where there were just logistical challenges. But we were lucky to get so many people who were willing to participate." He wasn't the only Cheers cast member to be missing, as actress Shelley Long also didn't make it.
On the show, Harrelson played Woody Boyd, a kindhearted and simple-minded bartender where the crew hung out. Coincidentally, the reunion at the Emmys featured the cast members in a recreation of the iconic set.
Harrelson reflected on his time playing Woody Boyd in a 2009 conversation with Interview magazine. While he spent years playing Boyd on screen, it wasn't until he got cast in 1992's White Men Can't Jump—and took the role that Keanu Reeves was in the running for—when his career changed.
"I was on Cheers for eight years, and I couldn’t get another job. And I thought, I’m going to be Woody Boyd forever. Which is not bad, but I really thought I was capable of more," he said. His big break "was really White Men Can’t Jump," he continued. "I guess I probably would’ve just been Woody Boyd but for the fact that Keanu Reeves didn’t play great basketball. That was the only thing that saved me."
Episodes of Cheers are available to stream today on Hulu and Paramount+.
