Actor Awards In Memoriam segment brings fans to tears with tributes to James Van Der Beek, Eric Dane and more

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Many viewers cried during the 2026 Actor Awards on Sunday when the show honored actors and actresses who have passed away.

The In Memoriam segment featured a surprisingly long list of beloved stars who had passed away, and many viewers were struck by how many prominent actors we’ve lost this year.

Honestly, it absolutely wrecked me seeing the tributes to some of our fallen stars. I was especially heartbroken to learn about James Van Der Beek – Joey from Dawson’s Creek! – passing away at just 48 after fighting colorectal cancer. February 11th… I’ll never forget that date. It just feels so unfair, losing someone who was such a huge part of my life growing up.

Fans were deeply saddened by the reminder of Eric Dane’s passing, the Grey’s Anatomy actor who died on February 19 at the age of 53 after battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

The In Memoriam segment honored many beloved actors and filmmakers who passed away recently, including Diane Keaton, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Rob Reiner, Val Kilmer, Catherine O’Hara, and Robert Redford, bringing a poignant close to the tribute.

One X user reacted to a list of prominent figures included in the segment, calling it ‘truly awful’ and ‘surreal’ to see so many familiar names presented in memoriam.

‘The most star-studded In Memoriam I’ve ever seen. We lost some greats,’ wrote another viewer.

That ‘In Memoriam’ segment was really heartbreaking. We lost a lot of amazing people this year – true stars, iconic figures, and even those who consistently delivered memorable performances in supporting roles and on television. It felt like so many familiar faces were gone.

One fan commented on the #TheActorAwards ‘In Memoriam’ segment, saying it felt like a particularly significant tribute to actors who passed away this year, and went on to mention several well-known names.

Some fans were particularly moved by seeing James Van Der Beek leading the list of late actors.

One viewer shared how emotional the moment was, saying they were already close to tears when James Van Der Beek appeared, but completely broke down by the time they got to Catherine O’Hara. They finished by saying it was a truly heart-wrenching experience.

Okay, so someone else just pointed out they were giving Eric Dane a shout-out, and honestly? The GIF they used was a crying Chihuahua! A crying Chihuahua! It was perfect, absolutely perfect. I mean, who wouldn’t feel the same way seeing Eric Dane acknowledged? It just…it got to me, okay?

The presence of former Cosby Show star Malcolm Jamal Warner was also a trigger for some viewers.

One fan shared that they became emotional during the Actor Awards’ memorial segment when a clip of Malcolm Jamal Warner wearing his character Gordon Gartrell’s shirt was shown.

One fan playfully tweeted that they needed 5 to 7 business days to get over the moving tribute.

The annual Actor Awards, previously called the SAG Awards, were held Sunday at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles. This year marked the 32nd ceremony.

This year’s ceremony is now officially called The Actor Awards. The change is meant to emphasize the show’s famous statuette, ‘The Actor,’ strengthen its international recognition, and ensure the focus remains on celebrating actors and their achievements.

And there’s a familiar face steering the ship. 

Kristen Bell returns as host for the third time, having previously emceed in 2018 and 2025. 

Bringing Kristen back as host feels like welcoming an old friend into the family – someone you genuinely enjoy spending time with, according to show-runner and executive producer Jon Brockett.

The awards ceremony will be streamed live on Netflix and will present awards in 28 different categories for movies, TV shows, and limited series. Most categories have six nominees, but the awards for Cinematic and Box Office Achievement will have eight.

The film ‘One Battle After Another’ received the most nominations with seven, while ‘Sinners’ wasn’t far behind with five.

This year’s competition for Best Actor is particularly strong, with nominations going to Leonardo DiCaprio for his role in One Battle After Another, Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, and Jesse Plemons for Bugonia.

The competition is fierce for the award for Best Actress, with strong performances from Jessie Buckley in Hamnet, Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson in Song Sung Blue, and Emma Stone in Bugonia.

Several actors received nominations in supporting categories: Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn for their work in One Battle After Another, Jacob Elordi for Frankenstein, Paul Mescal for Hamnet, and Miles Caton for Sinners. They are all contenders for the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role award.

The nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actress are a diverse group, featuring both established stars and fresh faces: Odessa A’Zion (Marty Supreme), Ariana Grande (Wicked: For Good), Amy Madigan (Weapons), Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another).

The award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture highlights the strong teamwork of the casts from five films: Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, and Sinners. This demonstrates how much this awards organization values the performances of actors.

Television, meanwhile, has its own battleground.

When it comes to comedy, The Studio led the pack with five nominations, proving it’s a popular choice among actors.

The show is nominated for an award recognizing the best ensemble performance in a comedy series, competing against Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks, and Only Murders in the Building.

The nominations for best individual comedy acting include stars like Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O’Hara, and Seth Rogen, all from The Studio. Also nominated are Jean Smart (Hacks), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), Adam Brody (Nobody Wants This), Ted Danson (A Man on the Inside), and Martin Short (Only Murders in the Building).

The drama series category is highly competitive. Shows like The White Lotus, Severance, The Diplomat, The Pitt, and Landman are all competing for the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble.

The drama acting awards were given to a talented group of performers, including Britt Lower, Parker Posey, Keri Russell, Rhea Seehorn, Aimee Lou Wood, Sterling K. Brown, Billy Crudup, Walton Goggins, Gary Oldman, and Noah Wyle.

Limited series and television movies continue to prove their awards muscle.

Claire Danes (The Beast in Me), Erin Doherty and Christine Tremarco (Adolescence), Sarah Snook (All Her Fault), and Michelle Williams (Dying for Sex) are all nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series.

The actors being considered for best male performance include Jason Bateman in Black Rabbit, Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham for Adolescence, Charlie Hunnam in Monster: The Ed Gein Story, and Matthew Rhys for The Beast in Me.

Yet no awards season is complete without a little controversy. 

A major surprise for many was the omission of Cynthia Erivo from the nominations for her work in Wicked: For Good, as she was widely predicted to be a contender.

As a dedicated awards season follower, I noticed a lot of chatter online about who wasn’t nominated! People were definitely surprised to see neither Gwyneth Paltrow nor Dwayne Johnson get a nod, and there was also a lot of discussion about how few international actors were represented in the acting categories. It felt like a missed opportunity to celebrate global talent, honestly.

More cuts, like removing the ‘Sentimental Value’ segment from the film and ‘Death by Lightning’ from television, sparked even more discussion.

Despite the overall results, fans were happy to see nominations for Odessa A’Zion for her work in Marty Supreme and Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners. This shows the wide range of talent featured this year.

Hollywood icon Harrison Ford will be honored with the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award, adding a special touch to the event.

Throughout his more than 50-year career, Harrison Ford has starred in some of the most successful movie franchises ever made – including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Blade Runner, and The Fugitive. This has established him as one of Hollywood’s most reliable and long-lasting leading actors.

Harrison Ford said he was incredibly honored to receive this year’s SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award.

It means the world to me to be recognized by my peers. I’ve dedicated my life to filmmaking, collaborating with amazing actors and crew, and I’m incredibly thankful to be a part of this industry.

This year’s Ambassador for The Actor Awards is Yerin Ha, the rising star known for her role in Bridgerton. She’ll be representing the next generation of actors.

Ha expressed how honored she was to be named The Actor Awards Ambassador, explaining that the ceremony is a special event where actors recognize each other’s work.

It’s incredibly rewarding to be acknowledged by the community you care about. As someone passionate about acting and working with others, it’s a real honor to represent up-and-coming actors and participate in an event that celebrates the art of storytelling.

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2026-03-02 08:20