Viewers have voiced frustration after several well-known names apparently didn’t appear in the Oscars’ 2026 In Memoriam section.
The In Memoriam tribute has been part of the ceremony for decades, offering a short pause in the night to honour performers and industry figures who have died over the past year.
For many, 2025 and the start of 2026 have felt especially heavy in terms of high-profile losses. Home Alone actor Catherine O’Hara died on January 7, 2026, while filmmaker Rob Reiner and his wife Michele were killed at their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025.
Other major figures who died recently include Diane Keaton, Robert Redford, Robert Duvall, and Diana Ladd — and each of them was acknowledged during the Oscars on March 15.
Reports suggested this year’s In Memoriam segment ran longer than usual in an effort to recognise as many people as possible, but audiences still noticed a number of absences.
One of the most discussed omissions online was Dawson’s Creek star Jams Van Der Beek, who died aged 48 last month following a cancer diagnosis.
Others also questioned why Grey’s Anatomy fan favourite Eric Dane was not included. He died on February 19, shortly after Van Der Beek, at the age of 53.
Some viewers argued the decisions may not have been personal, suggesting the Academy may have prioritised people best known for film work, given both actors were more closely associated with television.
However, both had film credits. Dane appeared in movies including Marley & Me, Burlesque, Valentine’s Day, and Dangerous Waters. Van Der Beek was widely recognised for roles in titles such as Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction.
Another name people felt was overlooked was Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who died in July 2025 in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica.
Warner was also primarily known for television, with roles across series such as The Cosby Show, Sons of Anarchy, Suits, 9-1-1, and The Resident.
Brigitte Bardot was another figure people said they expected to see included, with one social media user calling it ‘a huge omission’.
The French screen icon died aged 91 in December 2025, and was internationally celebrated as one of the defining faces of post-war cinema.
Some also raised questions about Gene Hackman not appearing in the segment. Hackman and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead at their home in February 2025. While early reports prompted suspicion, an investigation later concluded they died from separate causes within a short time frame.
Hackman, however, was not expected to appear this year, as he was included in the previous In Memoriam after his death occurred in the weeks leading up to the 2025 Oscars. At that ceremony, Morgan Freeman delivered a tribute to the actor.
According to Variety, other names not shown during the televised segment included Robert Carradine, June Lockhart, and Bud Cort.
Even so, the Academy’s official In Memoriam webpage reportedly contains many additional names that were not part of the on-air montage.
Van Der Beek, Warner, Bardot, Carradine, Lockhart, and Cort are all listed there.
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