Oscars 2026 In Memoriam: Why were Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek omitted? Fans furious after David Keighley's son calls out the Academy Awards

Shivani Negi | Mar 16, 2026, 08:47 IST

The Oscars In Memoriam segment is supposed to be the one time everyone puts down their phones and pays respect. This year, people picked up their phones to ask one question: Where were Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek?

Oscars 2026 In Memoriam snubs Eric Dane, James Van Der Beek spark fury

The 98th Academy Awards delivered plenty of tears on March 15. Billy Crystal honoured Rob Reiner. Rachel McAdams paid tribute to Diane Keaton and Catherine O'Hara. Barbra Streisand sang for Robert Redford. It was beautiful, emotional, and exactly what you want from Hollywood's biggest night.

But when the segment ended, something felt off. Fans noticed two beloved stars, Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek, who we lost this year, were missing from the In Memoriam segment.

In Memoriam: Who were honoured?

The list of legends honoured was impressive. Robert Redford, Val Kilmer, Robert Duvall, Diane Ladd, Claudia Cardinale, and Catherine O'Hara all received heartfelt tributes. The room stood, they clapped, they cried. It was a proper goodbye to the giants who shaped cinema.

But the segment ran long, and when the producers started making cuts, some names got left on the editing room floor.

James Van Der Been and Eric Dane: The snubs that stung

James Van Der Beek died on February 11 at 48 after a public battle with cancer. He was the heart of Dawson's Creek for an entire generation. Eric Dane passed away at 53 on February 19 after fighting ALS. He was McSteamy on Grey's Anatomy and unforgettable in Euphoria. Neither made the cut.

The #Oscars did not include Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek in the In Memoriam. pic.twitter.com/wh5QHXFKc7

— Pop Tingz (@PopTingz) March 16, 2026

They weren't alone. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Robert Carradine, June Lockhart, Bud Cort, and Brigitte Bardot were also missing. Fans immediately noticed.

Why were they left out?

The Academy hasn't explained, but here's the likely reason: The Oscars focus on film. Van Der Beek and Dane were primarily television stars. However, fans have noted "Eric was in Bad Boys, Burlesque, X-Men, please be serious," and "James was in Varsity Blues and a couple of other movies; he was both a TV and movie actor."

It's a technicality that feels cold when you're talking about beloved actors gone too soon.

As for Bardot? Her controversial, racist and homophobic remarks likely kept her out. In 2026, the Academy probably decided that including her would cause more backlash than excluding her.

Fans were not happy

"The Oscars could’ve taken a couple of seconds out of that long in memoriam for Eric Dane and to raise awareness for ALS. Worst snub of the night," one user said. "Oscar didn’t pay tribute to Eric Dane. That’s wild," noted another. "Good stuff outside of not including Eric Dane or James Vanderbeek in the In Memoriam," one person posted.

it is so maddening that the oscar’s did not pay respect to eric dane and rob reiner pic.twitter.com/aBX86hMQmn

— stvr (@zainaypen) March 16, 2026

Why didn’t they show Eric Dane in the in memoriam??????

— b (@spaceinshadows) March 16, 2026

Geoff Keighley's heartbreak

The most emotional reaction came from Geoff Keighley, creator of The Game Awards. His father, David Keighley, was an IMAX pioneer who worked with directors like Christopher Nolan and James Cameron. He helped shape how we experience movies.

The Oscars left him out completely.

Geoff tweeted: "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."

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. pic.twitter.com/bMmICAPn3w

— Geoff Keighley (@geoffkeighley) March 16, 2026

To sum it all, the 2026 Oscars In Memoriam honoured the right people. However, they just forgot a whole bunch of others. And in an industry that loves to pat itself on the back for remembering everyone, leaving out Van Der Beek, Dane, and Keighley felt like a pretty major oversight.

GENERAL

Shivani Negi