The “In Memoriam” segment at the 95th Academy Awards missed a shocking number of important stars, including the beloved character actor Paul Sorvino. The Goodfellas star died in July 2022 and made dozens of movies in a five-decade career. His widow, Dee Dee Sorvino demanded an apology from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for not including her late husband. Sorvino’s daughter, Oscar-winner Mira Sorvino, called it “baffling” for the Academy to miss the actor.
During the show Sunday night, Lenny Kravitz performed his ballad “Calling All Angels” while images of deceased stars from the past 12 months were shown onscreen. In addition to Sorvino, the montage missed Anne Heche, Tom Sizemore, Leslie Jordan, Fred Ward, Robert Morse, David Warner, and Topol. Charlbi Dean, who died at 32 in August, was one of the most shocking omissions since she starred in the Best Picture nominee Triangle of Sadness. At the end of the segment, the Academy put a QR code onscreen, which directed viewers to the “In Memoriam” page on its website.
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“Paul Sorvino was one of the greatest actors in cinematic history in Hollywood. It is unconscionable that he would be left out of the In Memoriam segment of the Oscars,” Dee Dee Sorvino wrote in a statement to Entertainment Tonight. “It’s a three-hour show, they can’t give a couple more minutes to get it right? Paul Sorvino gave decades to this industry and was loved by all.”
“Paul was not the only deserving soul left out, and a QR Code is not acceptable,” Dee Dee continued. “The Academy needs to issue an apology, admit the mistake, and do better. Paul Sorvino deserves better, the audience deserves better, is the Academy so jaded they forget people who are loved, who have given their hearts to this industry? Shame on the Academy if this is not corrected. Mistakes are made, this was a big one. Please do something to make it right.”
Sorvino was even at the center of an iconic Oscars moment. When Mira won the 1996 Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Mighty Aphrodite, Sorvino was brought to tears as a proud father. She also thanked him for inspiring her to pursue acting. Mira was also frustrated that her father was not included in the “In Memoriam” segment.
“It is baffling beyond belief that my beloved father and many other amazing brilliant departed actors were left out,” Mira wrote. “The Oscars forgot about Paul Sorvino, but the rest of us never will!!”
Before the Oscars, Mira shared a video of her 1996 win, including a new tribute to her father. After she learned Sorvino was not included, she added another statement. “When I posted this I had not learned of Dad’s omission and that of several other incredible artists from the In Memoriam section,” she wrote. “Incredibly hurt and shocked that my father’s lifelong, irreplaceable, enormous contribution to the world of cinema was overlooked by [whoever] made that list. We his adoring family, and you, his adoring public, know just how unique and incredible he was. We hope @theacademy does something to put this right.”
Sorvino died of natural causes on July 25, 2022, at age 83. He was best known for his role as Paulie Cicero in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas. Sorvino never retired from acting and even has four posthumous projects coming soon, according to his IMDb page. ย
