The 2026 Oscars have had a handful of controversies make headlines, and the omission of the late actor Eric Dane from the In Memoriam segment has become the latest addition.
As netizens harshly condemned the Academy’s decision to exclude the Grey’s Anatomy star, who passed away last month, just weeks before the prestigious event was televised, the creator of the hit show, Shonda Rhimes, has stirred backlash with her defense of the decision.
The actor passed away on February 19 after an almost year-long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
Netizens dubbed Shonda’s explanation “a heartless statement,” citing certain discrepancies that did not add up and her years-long professional ties with Eric.
Shonda Rhimes is facing intense backlash for her “heartless” defense of the Oscars’ omission of Eric Dane from the tribute segment
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The 53-year-old actor’s demise was confirmed by family members in a public statement to PEOPLE magazine, revealing that he passed away from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a condition he had been battling publicly for approximately 10 months.
Prior to his passing, Eric Dane was a fierce advocate for ALS and even met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., to push for increased research funding.
Up until his final months, Eric remained actively involved in multiple projects despite the rapid progression of his condition, finishing production on the film Family Secrets, which is currently in post-production, with its official release date still uncertain.
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He had also completed filming his role as Cal Jacobs for the upcoming third season of Euphoria, which is set to premiere on April 12 this year.
During the 2026 Oscars, which took place on March 15, almost a month after the actor’s passing, he was excluded from the tribute segment.
Following the snub, his family, including his estranged wife, Rebecca Gayheart, and their two daughters, was reportedly “saddened” and “disappointed.”
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A source close to the family told TMZ that while they were disappointed by the televised omission, they also understood the Academy’s constraints.
The family reportedly felt comforted and thankful that Dane was still formally recognized on the Academy’s official online tribute page alongside other industry colleagues.
However, netizens were not as understanding, with many harshly criticizing the Academy. One user wrote, “What a missed opportunity. It was wrong to leave them out.”
The 53-year-old actor’s surviving family was reportedly “saddened” and “disappointed” by his Oscars snub
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Amid the controversy, Shonda Rhimes addressed the backlash, explaining that the exclusion was appropriate.
During the Vanity Fair Oscar Party, Rhimes praised Dane in an interview with Entertainment Tonight, saying, “I still say it because it’s very hard for me to believe he’s gone. He was a huge loss for us. He was a huge loss for the Shondaland family, for the Grey’s Anatomy family.”
“And honestly the people that he knew, he was just a wonderful giving guy that I don’t know that everybody understands how amazing he was.”
Addressing the Oscars tribute snub, Shonda added, “Well, he’s not a movie star, you know. And I feel like when the Emmys come around he will be, you know, immortalized the way he should be.”
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She further told the outlet, “You can’t fault the Oscars for the fact that they’re looking at movies and there were so many people who are lost but Eric was unique to television and I can’t wait to see what they do with him.”
While Rhimes might have hoped to calm the online chatter, her statements had the opposite effect, as many slammed her, arguing that Eric was not just a TV star but also a film actor.
One disappointed netizen even shared a screenshot of the late actor’s filmography, noting that he had appeared in 18 films in total, including his posthumous release.
Shonda, who shared years-long professional ties with Eric, defended the Academy, saying, “You can’t fault the Oscars…”
Shonda Rhimes is still in disbelief over Eric Dane’s passing, sharing it was a “huge loss” for the Shondaland family. The ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ creator also reacts to the #Oscars leaving Eric out of their In Memoriam segment. pic.twitter.com/YKZky6wUbA
— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) March 16, 2026
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The person wrote in the comments, “Shut up Shandra. Its not about being a big movie star…”
Another user, in agreement, said, “if the oscars can find ten minutes for an opening skit, they can find five seconds for a photo of eric dane. leaving him out just because he did more tv than movies is such a tired, elitist excuse.”
“He isn’t a movie star but sound editors or lawyers or cinematographers whose names we don’t know are? PS: Eric Dane’s from a blockbuster movie that was well received.”
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Along with Eric, Dawson’s Creek star James Van Der Beek, who passed away just days before Dane after a long battle with colon cancer, was also excluded from the In Memoriam.
In light of this, one user commented, “ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. These men weren’t just actors; they were the faces of an entire generation of television and cinema. To exclude them… is a slap in the face to their families and millions of fans. The Oscars have officially lost their soul…”
Another person wrote, “Yeah this doesn’t make sense. There were literal composers, editors, cinematographers and the rest (not to say that they’re less important) and they couldn’t include Eric Dane ?? He’s literally been in many films. Just cause he’s known more for his tv roles doesn’t change things.”
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“No, she’s just making excuses. He was a member of the screen actors guild, and he should’ve been included. He was in movies which means he should’ve been in it rather he was mainly a TV actor or not he should’ve been included,” read another comment.
However, some agreed with Rhimes’ stance, arguing that Eric was mainly known for his TV roles and will likely be included at the Emmys later this year.
Netizens were left divided, with some harshly criticizing Rhimes’ defense, while others argued she “said nothing wrong”
One supporter of the creator wrote, “Eric Dane should be honored at the Emmys. Shonda said nothing wrong.”
Another netizen argued, “Y’all need to be realistic. You’re all naming like a handful of movies that he was in. None of which he was the main star or are particularly relevant. He’s known for tv. And he will have a dedicated in memorial at the Emmys because he was a star on tv.”
Others expressed, “She’s right. He’s more notably known as a tv star. Also the tribute was for stars who passed in 2025. Not 2026.”
Reportedly, this year’s Oscars In Memoriam segment was officially expanded to an unprecedented 15 minutes.
This change was made following significant industry losses, which producers felt required more time to honor appropriately.
Rather than a traditional continuous video montage, the Academy used a multi-part approach that included several live, personalized tributes to legends like Rob Reiner, Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, and others.
“These are actors that were widely known for their roles in tv rather than film. It makes sense they weren’t included,” wrote one netizen
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