The 98th Academy Awards honored Hollywood’s departed Sunday night with an extended 15-minute In Memoriam segment featuring emotional tributes to Rob Reiner, Robert Redford, and Diane Keaton. But within hours, the Oscars In Memoriam backlash exploded online as fans noticed several major stars missing from the broadcast.
Despite running longer than previous years, the segment excluded James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Brigitte Bardot, and Bollywood legend Dharmendra, among others. The Academy directed viewers to its website for a “complete list,” but for many, that wasn’t enough.
James Van Der Beek’s absence drew the strongest reaction. The Dawson’s Creek star died in February at 48 after battling stage 3 colorectal cancer. His family announced his passing with a heartfelt Instagram post, and fans expected a tribute from the industry he helped define in the late ’90s and early 2000s. Instead, his name appeared only on the Academy’s website.
Eric Dane, known for Grey’s Anatomy and Euphoria, was also excluded. The actor died in December at 52 following complications from a long struggle with addiction . His death had been widely covered in entertainment media, making his omission particularly puzzling.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the beloved Cosby Show star who died in January at 54, was another notable absence. Warner had remained active in television until his final year, appearing in several streaming projects.
The most politically charged omission was Brigitte Bardot. The French icon died in December at 90, but her exclusion from the broadcast sparked immediate speculation. Some industry insiders suggested the Academy deliberately omitted her due to her far-right political views and multiple convictions for inciting racial hatred.
At France’s César Awards in February, a tribute to Bardot was met with boos and cries of “racist!” from the audience. The Academy may have sought to avoid similar controversy on its global stage.
Indian cinema fans expressed disappointment after Bollywood legend Dharmendra was excluded from the broadcast, despite his November 2025 death and posthumous Padma Vibhushan honor, one of India’s highest civilian awards. He appeared alongside Manoj Kumar, Saroja Devi, and Kota Srinivasa Rao only on the Academy’s website.
The broadcast tribute featured tearful moments for Rob Reiner (with 17 actors from his films on stage), Robert Redford (honored by Barbra Streisand), Diane Keaton and Catherine O’Hara (remembered by Rachel McAdams), plus Val Kilmer, Robert Duvall, Dianne Ladd, and Michael Madsen.
But the length of the list, and the visible omissions, left many wondering how decisions were made.
Producer Katy Mullan had previewed the extended segment before the show, citing “an unimaginably hard year” for the film world. But when pressed about omissions afterward, the Academy pointed to its online memorial.
“We honor as many as possible within the time constraints of a live broadcast,” a representative said. “The complete In Memoriam is available on our website, ensuring all members of our community are remembered”.
Social media erupted within minutes of the segment’s conclusion. “How do you leave out James Van Der Beek?” one fan wrote on X. “Dawson’s Creek defined a generation and he died at 48 from cancer. Unforgivable.”
Another posted: “Brigitte Bardot is problematic but she’s also one of the most iconic actresses in film history. You can’t just pretend she didn’t exist.”
The Academy’s website crashed briefly due to traffic as viewers searched for the full list.
The backlash highlights a recurring tension for awards shows: how to honor an industry’s departed within the strict time limits of television. The 2026 segment ran 15 minutes, significantly longer than previous years, yet still couldn’t accommodate everyone.
For families watching at home, the omission stings differently. James Van Der Beek’s widow posted a simple message Monday morning: “We miss him every second. A televised tribute would have been nice. But we know who he was. That’s enough.”
For the Academy, the challenge remains unsolved. Some years, the outrage fades. This year, with so many beloved stars lost, the Oscars In Memoriam backlash shows no signs of quieting.
