The 2026 Oscars "In Memoriam" Omits James Van Der Beek & Eric Dane

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It’s been a particularly tragic year in Hollywood, as the 2026 Academy Awards emphasized in a noticeably lengthy “In Memoriam” segment. The montage included extended tributes to lost legends like Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton, and Robert Redford. But viewers couldn’t help but notice that some other big names were left out, including the recently deceased James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane.

Though Van Der Beek and Dane were most well-known for their iconic television roles, they also appeared in several major movies, so it was perplexing for their legacy to not be honored on the Oscars stage. Van Der Beek died on Feb. 11 after his battle with stage three colorectal cancer. Dane died on Feb. 19 due to complications with his ALS disease. Both actors were honored on the Academy’s website, but not during the c...