Grey’s Anatomy boss Shonda Rhimes responds to Eric Dane being left out of Oscars tribute

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Shona Rhimes, the creator of Grey’s Anatomy, has addressed the omission of star Eric Dane from the Oscars’ In Memoriam segment. This came after Dane’s recent passing, which occurred nearly a month ago.

The actor was well-known for his role as Dr. Mark Sloan, often called ‘McSteamy,’ on a popular medical TV show. He’s also been in movies like X-Men: The Last Stand and the newest Bad Boys film.

When Dane’s name wasn’t featured in the tribute to those who had passed away during the show—shown both at the event and on television—Entertainment Tonight reached out to Rhimes for comment.

He’s not famous in the typical sense, but I honestly think when the Emmys roll around, he’ll finally get the recognition he deserves – it’ll be legendary. That’s how amazing he is.

Look, I get that the Oscars have to focus on movies, especially with all the amazing people we’ve lost recently. But Eric was truly one of a kind when it came to television, and I’m really excited to see how they’ll honor him and his work.

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Last night’s In Memoriam segment honored several figures from the entertainment industry, including actors Robert Redford, Catherine O’Hara, and Val Kilmer, as well as director Rob Reiner.

The Oscars honored both Dane and James Van Der Beek, who had recently passed away and was famous for his TV work, in the online In Memoriam tribute for 2026.

Shonda Rhimes described the late actor as a wonderful person, admitting it’s still difficult for her to accept he’s no longer with us, and often speaks of him as if he were still alive.

I’m still reeling from the news. He was such an amazing person, and it feels like a massive loss, not just for Shondaland and everyone on Grey’s Anatomy, but for anyone who had the chance to know him. He was genuinely one of the kindest, most generous people I’ve ever heard of.

“I don’t know [if] everybody understands just how amazing he was.”

The Oscars aired on ITV1 in the UK and can be streamed on ITVX.

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2026-03-17 13:20