Viewers of the Academy Awards have criticised organisers after several well-known actors were left out of the ceremony’s traditional In Memoriam tribute.
The annual segment honours film industry figures who have died in the past year and is often one of the most emotional moments of the night.
This year’s tribute ran longer than usual, reflecting the number of prominent Hollywood names remembered. Among those honoured were Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton and Robert Redford.
Barbra Streisand paid tribute to her The Way We Were co-star Redford with a performance of the film’s title song, moving the audience to tears.
Numerous other stars also appeared on stage to honour Reiner, while actress Rachel McAdams paid tribute to her The Family Stone castmate Keaton.
Other figures remembered on screen during the segment included Catherine O’Hara, Robert Duvall and Diane Ladd.
But despite the extended tribute, many viewers noticed several well-known names were absent from the televised montage.
Actors including James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane, Brigitte Bardot and Robert Carradine were not featured on screen, prompting criticism online.
One called it a “pretty astounding miss”, while another questioned: “How do they get this wrong every year?”
“What a disgrace,” one viewer wrote.
“Wow! #Oscars you missed the mark on who you left out of the In Memoriam,” said another viewer
“Although included on your website you left out James Van Der Beek, Robert Carradine, Richard Chamberlain, Eric Dane, Brigitte Bardot who all deserved to be on camera.”
Several other actors including Australian actor Julian McMahon, George Wendt and Malcolm-Jamal Warner, were also excluded from the televised segment but were listed on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences website.
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