What To Know
- The Emmys In Memoriam recognized the biggest stars we’ve lost in 2025 and 2026, but who was missing from the dedication?
- We break down the special segment featuring a performance by Noah Kahan.
As with every year, the Emmy Awards made time to recognize the biggest and brightest stars we’ve lost over the past year with a special In Memoriam segment.
For 2026’s segment, Vermont native Noah Kahan, fresh off the American leg of his Great Divide tour, was recruited to perform for the dedication, singing Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” serenading viewers at home and attendees in person as famous faces were recognized.
He was introduced by presenters Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy, who were there to recognize Catherine O’Hara, who played their on-screen mom in Home Alone and Schitt’s Creek, respectively.
The recent loss of country music icon and activist Dolly Parton got its own moment in the spotlight with a performance from Reba McEntire and a sweet speech from her Steel Magnolias costar Sally Field, which preceded the main In Memoriam. For that segment, McEntire sang “Appalachian Memories” from Parton’s musical catalogue.
Noah Kahan performed during In Memoriam #Emmys pic.twitter.com/M1x1Vh1P23
— Enjoy The Music (@EnjoyTheMusic9) September 15, 2026
Eventually, the show shone its spotlight on others as they got the centerpiece for the main In Memoriam. Among the individuals highlighted were James Van Der Beek, Anthony Geary, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Desmond Wilson, June Lockhart, Anthony Head, Diane Ladd, Sid Krofft, Ted Turner, Patricia Crowley, Eric Dane, Hayden Panettiere, Louise Lasser, T.K. Carter, Robert Duvall, Dolly Parton, Robert Carradine, Vincent Pastore, Maria Riva, Randolph Mantooth, Jon Cypher, Gene Shalit, Cleto, Sam Neill, Hal Williams, Tim Curry, Shelley Fabares, Bob Mackie, and James Burrows.
As with every year, fans are quick to call out snubs that didn’t make the on-screen cut, one of which was voice actor Peter Cullen, who most notably was the voice behind Optimus Prime in Transformers. Additionally, Daveigh Chase from The Ring, who voiced Lilo from Lilo & Stitch, was not featured. Meanwhile, fans pointed out that Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Nicholas Brendon didn’t make the In Memoriam onscreen, despite stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz acknowledging the collective losses of many stars from the beloved series.
Additionally, Chuck Norris of Walker, Texas Ranger fame, 30 Rock‘s Grizz Chapman, Starship Troopers‘ Patrick Muldoon, and The Gong Show‘s Jaye P. Morgan were also missing.
But before you worry about possibly the biggest snub, Jamie Lee Curtis came out on stage to specifically recognize Rob Reiner, who was tragically killed in December 2025 alongside his wife, who was also recognized. Jamie Lee Curtis, who played alongside Reiner in The Bear and New Girl, also shouted out the actor’s posthumous Emmy win for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series. She announced that he now holds the record for the longest gap between acting Emmys, with 48 years between his most recent win and the one prior. Reiner’s dad, Carl Reiner, previously held the record with 37 years.
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