The In Memoriam at the 96th Oscars paid tribute to many beloved deceased entertainers,
but as is so often the case, it wasn't without controversy over omissions, real and perceived.
The Academy Awards have consistently featured an In Memoriam segment to honor
the many professionals in the entertainment industry who have died over the previous year.
The 2024 ceremony upheld this tradition by paying tribute to a lengthy roster
of notable names. However, this segment was also criticized a bit for snubbing,
or appearing to snub, a number of key figures.
As the list of names scrolled by on the screen, Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo took to the
Dolby Theatre stage to perform a heart-tugging rendition of "Time to Say Goodbye." The first
person featured was Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who was the subject of the
previous year's winner for Documentary Feature. He died in February 2024 in an Arctic prison. The
list of those recognized also included Rocky star Carl Weathers, pop star and actress Tina Turner,
Harry Potter actor Michael Gambon, and acclaimed screenwriter Bo Goldman.
Unsurprisingly, there were also some notable omissions that sparked discontent, though some
names viewers thought were left out were included in a text-based list that quickly went by at the
end of the segment. Many viewers took to social media to air their frustrations about who was
included and who they thought wasn't. For example, Lance Reddick was a name many fans seemed to miss
in the list at the end of the segment. Reddick was known for his roles as Cedric Daniels on HBO's The
Wire and as Charon in the John Wick franchise. As one person tweeted, having missed his name,
And another bemoaned,
"(Bleep) all y'all! (Bleep) all y'all!"
Reddick wasn't the only seeming or real omission viewers drew attention to. Another viewer noted,
Somers was included in the list at the end. Bacharach and Welch, who both died
in February 2023, were both included in the 2023 Oscars In Memoriam segment. Barker and Bennett,
who both died in summer 2023 and appeared in a few films, were omitted.
Viewers pointed out some other names that were completely left out, such as Angus Cloud. Some
other names that were brought up as omissions but that were included in the ending list were
Treat Williams, Burt Young, Ron Cephas Jones, Ray Stevenson, and Terence Davies.
The In Memoriam segment has been a tradition at the Oscars since 1994,
and it's also seemingly become a tradition for the Academy to leave out notable names
from the tribute. The Academy has never really revealed the reasons behind these omissions,
despite being criticized by industry insiders and regular viewers alike.
Ahead of the 2024 ceremony, The Washington Post reported that the Academy normally
engages in a deliberation process to sift through submissions and determine who will
be included in the segment. Since the In Memoriam is only a small part of the show,
the producers likely have no choice but to exclude some names.
It's hard to know for sure how producers decide who is worthy of being memorialized
during the Academy Awards. In 2024, some actors who are mostly remembered
for their TV roles were included, like Andre Braugher of Homicide:
Life on the Street and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, as well as Matthew Perry of Friends. In contrast, though,
trailblazing TV writer and producer Norman Lear was left out until the list at the end.
Fans of the Oscars don't just express their disdain over who the In Memoriam leaves out,
either. Some of them also take issue with how the tribute is presented. Over the past 30 years, the
segment has evolved to typically be accompanied by live music performances. While the songs are
likely meant to evoke emotion, they also end up earning the ire of some people who believe
that they only detract from what should be the focus of the memorial. As one person vented,
Another viewer felt similarly while declaring,