Oscars 2026 In Memoriam: Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall & more
Heading into tonight’s Oscars 2026 broadcast, we were of course convinced that this would be one of the most emotional In Memoriam segments. Consider how many icons we lost over the past year, whether it be filmmakers like Rob Reiner or on-screen legends like Diane Keaton and Robert Duvall.
Just around 8:45 p.m. Eastern time, the In Memoriam segment started with Billy Crystal coming out to remember Rob Reiner — a moment that seemed absolutely perfect. The two worked together in some legendary work over the years, and we honestly think that there was nobody better to pay tribute to Rob in the world. He is a former Oscars host in his own right, someone who understands how to entertain but also emotion. He noted so many of Rob’s films that we have had a chance to see over the years. He also paid tribute to Michele Singer Reiner, which we thought was notable and just given her work both in entertainment and in advocacy over the years.
Beyond the tribute to Reiner, of course the Oscars took some time to recognize other people we have come to love over the past year. They included the likes of Jackie Burch, Stuart Craig, Terence Stamp, Sally Kirkland, T.K. Carter, Allie Light, Don Rogers, Lee Tamahori, Diane Ladd, and Claudia Cardinale. There was a larger pause and moment taken for Catherine O’Hara, and then also none other than Diane Keaton, “the icon” herself.
In the second run of names we then had the likes of Pauline Collins, Michael Madsen, Arthur Hamilton, Alan Bergman, Graham Greene, Val Kilmer, and Robert Duvall, a recent passing who meant so much to a number of people. Then, Robert Redford, someone who really defined this generation of moviemaking in a way that cannot be explained. That is why we got yet another tribute to him at the end.
By the end of these tributes, how can you not be emotional? We’re sure that there were omissions, but it did genuinely feel like the Oscars took their time to honor some of the most impactful people from the past several years.
Related – Be sure to see some more coverage of the 2026 Oscars now
What did you think about the In Memoriam segment at the Oscars this year?
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