Malcolm-Jamal Warner Among Celebs Snubbed During In Memoriam at 2026 Oscars
James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane also forgotten during the emotional tribute segment.
Guest star Malcolm-Jamal Warner in the "Mother Love" episode of MURDER IN A SMALL TOWN.
Photo by FOX via Getty Images.
Malcolm-Jamal Warner was among the major names that were left off of the Oscars' In Memoriam tribute at the 98th annual Academy Awards on Sunday, Mar 15. The beloved actor drowned in July 2025, and his name was not included when the award show mentioned the stars that we lost over the course of the last year.
The snub comes as the Oscars expanded their In Memoriam tribute this year. According to Variety, the expansion was due to the number of high-profile actors and industry talents who died in 2025. Nonetheless, several major deaths weren’t included during the segment.
In addition to Warner, the tribute section ignored James Van Der Beek, Robert Carradine, Eric Dane, June Lockhart, Bud Cort and Brigette Bardot. Stars like George Wendt, Julian McMahon, James Ransone, Danielle Spencer, Demond Wilson and M*A*S*H star Loretta Swit appear on the Academy’s website, but weren’t featured in the telecast.
Many stars that weren’t featured were mostly known for television work, although Jamal-Warner, Van Der Beek and Dane all appeared in feature films at various points in their careers. Special time was given to Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton and Robert Redford, who were honored by stars Barbra Streisand, Rachel McAdams and BIlly Crystal.
“We’ve had an incredibly tough year of losses,” Oscars producer Katy Mullan previously told Variety. “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. That has taken a lot of conversation, a lot of thought, and will continue right up into the show.”
Fellow producer Raj Kapoor explained how difficult it is to construct the segment.
“It’s everything from graphic design to titles to placement, because it all matters,” he says. “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.”
