SAG Awards 2020: In Memoriam honors Luke Perry, Cameron Boyce, more

With just about every year of entertainment, there are almost always fantastic performers who we lose. It’s a part of the cyclical nature of this world, and during the 2020 SAG Awards on Sunday night, we saw a tribute to some of them. The In Memoriam segment is almost always one of the most powerful parts of any major award show — and this is the first one of the calendar year, as the Golden Globes do not commonly do such a segment.

So who did the SAG Awards opt to highlight tonight in their segment? Luke Perry, Robert Blanche, Russi Taylor, Bill Macy, Dick Miller, Shelley Morrison, Seymour Cassel, Arte Johnson, Katherine Helmond, Cameron Boyce, Sue Lyon, Rip Torn, Brian Tarantina, Buck Henry, Peter Mayhew, Danny Aiello, Rutger Hauer, Robert Forster, Valerie Harper, Rene Auberjonois, John Witherspoon, Doris Day, Albert Finney, and Peter Fonda were among the names mentioned tonight. There were even more names mentioned over the course of the segment.

Were there some slights throughout the package? In the minds of some, sure — this is an occasion where it always feels that way. Yet, we think the Screen Actors Guild did a great job of recognizing actors from a wide range of different talents, and also ones from different eras. Actors like Fonda and Day were a part of this community for generations. Meanwhile, others like Boyce were taken from us far too soon. The most important thing, in the end, is that they leave an impact on those around them. They’ll be remembered as great performers to some, but within the world of the SAG Awards, they will be thought of as people, friends, and colleagues.

We did appreciate the way that the actors were honored tonight — it was respectful, kind, and it ensured that every single person involved was given their proper due. On a show like this, it’s not often easy.

What did you think about the In Memoriam segment during the SAG Awards this time around? Be sure to share right now in the comments!