Oscars ‘In Memoriam’ Snubs James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, Brigitte Bardot and More

The 2026 Oscars’ expanded In Memoriam segment still left some viewers wondering about the exclusion of several significant celebrity deaths, including James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, Brigitte Bardot and more.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences did extend the In Memoriam portion of Sunday’s 98th Academy Awards due to the large number of notable deaths since last year’s ceremony — including those of Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, Rob Reiner, Catherine O’Hara, Robert Duvall and Diane Ladd — but even the extended segment couldn’t accommodate every entertainment figure who had passed.

Also missing from this year’s In Memoriam segment, but included on the Academy’s online In Memoriam listing, were Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Robert Carradine, James Ransone, June Lockhart, George Wendt, Julian McMahon, Danielle Spencer and Loretta Swit.

While many of the celebrities whose names didn’t make it into the broadcast In Memoriam were best known for their work on TV, including Grey’s Anatomy star Dane, Dawson’s Creek star Van Der Beek and The Cosby Show star Warner, most of the stars had appeared in at least one film.

There were some extended tributes included in Sunday’s ceremony, which featured a performance of “The Way We Were” by Barbra Streisand dedicated to former co-star Redford, as well as a tribute to When Harry Met Sally director Reiner led by the film’s star, Billy Crystal. Rachel McAdams also honored her The Family Stone co-star Diane Keaton with a special speech during the In Memoriam segment, praising the “luminous” actress as a one-of-a-kind talent.

Leading up to Sunday’s Academy Awards, Katy Mullan, who produced the broadcast with Raj Kapoor, told Variety that this year’s extended In Memoriam segment was a complex one to navigate after an “incredibly tough year of losses.”

“So many cinema titans have passed away, and there are so many people who care so deeply for a lot of the people we’ll be tributing and honoring,” Mullan said. “That has taken a lot of conversation, a lot of thought, and will continue right up into the show.”

“It’s everything from graphic design to titles to placement, because it all matters,” Kapoor said of the intricacy of the segment. “Who follows who, where those beats happen — it’s very nuanced. The team that puts together the film is almost working all the way up to the show because there are so many changes and revisions. It’s a chance for people to say goodbye. It’s a chance for them to see some of their favorite people one more time, and it’s a memory. We don’t take it lightly.”