Oscars viewers furious as James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane left out of memoriam tribute

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Viewers are upset with the Academy Awards after several recently deceased stars, including James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane, were left out of the ‘In Memoriam’ segment at the 2026 Oscars.

Okay, so the awards show was pretty awesome! I was stoked when One Battle After Another took Best Picture, and Michael B. Jordan totally deserved Best Actor for Sinners. Jessie Buckley winning Best Actress for Hamnet was great too. But honestly, seeing Amy Madigan – Aunt Gladys from Weapons! – win Best Supporting Actress was a highlight for me. That movie was wild, and she was fantastic in it.

Although the event wasn’t as problematic as it had been in the past, a couple of things still bothered viewers. One issue was the mess left behind by the celebrity attendees – a photo showed trash and food scraps scattered throughout the theater aisles.

Another issue was the ceremony’s tribute to those who had died, which failed to include several stars who had passed away in the last year, including James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane.

The Oscars didn’t include James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, and Brigitte Bardot

The Oscars ceremony traditionally honors major figures from the entertainment industry who have passed away in the past year. At the 2026 event, they remembered actors like Val Kilmer, Rob and Michele Reiner, Diane Keaton, and Catherine O’Hara. However, the omission of James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, Brigitte Bardot, Dharmendra, and Bud Cort from the tribute caused significant criticism online.

People on X expressed frustration with award shows, with one user saying they seem determined to upset viewers and another pointing out the noticeable omission of actors Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek from the nominations.

While Van Der Beek and Dane are probably most famous for their television roles, they’ve both been in many movies as well. The Academy may also have decided to include Bardot to avoid potential backlash, as she was convicted of inciting racial hatred on six occasions between 1997 and 2025.

The Academy’s website lists all the key people involved in filmmaking – actors, producers, costume designers, cinematographers, makeup artists, editors, and more. This list does include notable names like Van Der Beek, Dane, Bardot, and Dharmendra, among many others.

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2026-03-16 14:49