The 2026 Oscars had an emotional In Memoriam segment that noticeably missed several celebrities.
During the awards show on Sunday, March 15, Rob Reiner, his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, Robert Redford and Diane Keaton were some film industry members who received lengthy tributes from their former costars.
Catherine O’Hara was also mentioned in a heart-wrenching moment on stage as others who died in the past year were shown on screen at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles, California. There were some names, however, who weren’t mentioned despite their contribution to the industry, including Eric Dane, James Van Der Beek and more.
Fans quickly took to social media to mention some of the omissions, which film critic Mara Reinstein defended.
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“Friends I am a certified In Memoriam Oscars expert — I wrote a big story about it for [The Hollywood Reporter] last year —- and I’m telling you that James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane were never going to make the cut,” she wrote via X. “They’re too associated with TV and only limited # of actor slots allowed.”
ABC’s segment was subsequently expanded on The Academy’s website with Julian McMahon, James Ransone, Danielle Spencer, Loretta Swit, George Wendt, Demond Wilson and more being featured in that version.
Keep scrolling for the celebrities who weren’t mentioned in the live Oscars segment:
Eric Dane
Eric Dane died in February 2026 at age 53 after a battle with ALS.
James Van Der Beek
News broke in February 2026 that James Van Der Beek died at age 48 two years after a stage 3 colorectal cancer diagnosis.
Malcom-Jamal Warner
The actor was best known for his role as Theodore Huxtable on The Cosby Show. He died by drowning at age 54 following a July 2025 accident in Costa Rica.
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David Keighley
IMAX’s first chief quality officer died in August 2025 at age 77 after a battle with cancer.
His son Geoff Keighley called out the exclusion, writing via X, “So incredibly disappointed and heartbroken that the #Oscars and AMPAS chose not to include my father, David Keighley, and his immeasurable contributions to IMAX and cinema in the In Memoriam segment in the broadcast. I will never forget.”
Robert Carradine
Robert Carradine died at age 71 in February 2026 following a battle with bipolar disorder.
Tom Noonan
The actor, who appeared in Manhunter, Robocop 2, Last Action Hero and The Monster Squad, died at age 74 in February 2026.
