Rob Reiner’s Hollywood inner circle unites onstage for tearful Oscars 2026 tribute to murdered director

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Viewers were moved to tears during Sunday night’s Academy Awards when the show honored the late actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner.

Billy Crystal, a close friend of the late Rob Reiner, led a touching tribute before the In Memoriam segment at the 2026 Oscars.

Crystal, famous for her role in the classic romantic comedy When Harry Met Sally, gave a heartfelt and touching speech remembering Reiner.

The tribute comes in the wake of Reiner’s tragic death at 78.

I was absolutely devastated to hear about the tragic loss of the filmmaker and his wife, Michele. They were both found murdered at their home on December 14th, and it’s been reported that their son, Nick Reiner, 32, is suspected in the crime. It’s just heartbreaking news.

Conan O’Brien, the 61-year-old host of the Oscars, started the In Memoriam segment, a tribute he had previously described as ‘very powerful,’ to honor Reiner and his career.

Crystal fondly remembered his many years of friendship with Reiner, a connection that began appropriately when Crystal was chosen to play Reiner’s best friend on the TV show All In The Family.

O’Brien was sadly one of the last people to see his friend, director Reiner, alive. Reiner, along with his wife and son Nick, had been at O’Brien’s Christmas party on December 13th.

The party took place just hours before the Reiners were discovered dead in their home.

Sources say Rob and Nick had a heated argument at the celebrity party. Nick is currently in jail in Los Angeles, awaiting trial for the murder of his parents, a charge he denies.

Growing up with famous parents, this actor battled drug addiction and periods of homelessness starting in his teenage years. He seemed to turn things around in the mid-2010s, especially when he worked with his father on the 2015 movie, Being Charlie.

Nick and Rob collaborated on a movie inspired by Nick’s own experiences with opioid addiction and homelessness. Nick wrote the script, and Rob directed it.

While promoting his film Being Charlie, Nick revealed he first entered drug rehab at age 14. He shared that he had been to rehab 18 times before seeking stability through a high-profile job in Hollywood.

He also shared that he had experienced homelessness, sometimes because his parents wouldn’t allow him to stay with them after he declined their help with a treatment program.

While helping with preparations for the Oscars red carpet outside the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on Wednesday, Conan O’Brien was asked about his plans to pay tribute to Carl Reiner during the show.

O’Brien explained to Extra that it felt difficult to offer a concise summary, and doing so would likely come across as overly brief and strange given the current circumstances.

He admitted it might not be suitable, but believed it would be a significant moment in the show.

Last week, O’Brien told The Hollywood Reporter he was deeply saddened by the deaths of his friends and felt upset about being pulled into the media coverage of the events, which he had previously described as ‘awful killings’.

“We just had a party with close friends, and then the very next day, something awful occurred,” O’Brien explained.

Any challenges my wife and I faced because of our connection to this situation pale in comparison to the immense sadness for the family and the heartbreaking loss of Rob and Michele.

He explained that when you’re a public figure, your name will inevitably be associated with difficult situations, but it’s not something to dwell on. He expressed sadness for those who had passed away.

Before the Oscars celebrated Rob Reiner, the Daily Mail reported a backstage argument about which celebrities would present the tribute to him.

According to a source, the Academy was hoping to include Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal, the stars of When Harry Met Sally, in an event honoring director Rob Reiner. They also wanted to invite Jerry O’Connell and Wil Wheaton, who starred in Reiner’s film Stand By Me.

However, a source shared that Corey Feldman, another actor from Stand By Me, was upset about being left out of the event.

At 54, Feldman was reportedly deeply upset by being left out, feeling it was a personal insult.

According to a source, Feldman was hoping Rob would propose, particularly because Jerry and Wil had already been asked to marry him.

They also said Feldman really wanted to attend, even just to pay his respects to Rob, even if he wasn’t officially involved in the event.

According to a source, O’Connell and Wheaton contacted the Academy to ask why Feldman wasn’t included.

The Daily Mail reached out to Feldman, O’Connell, Wheaton and the Academy for comment.

In 2020, Feldman left SAG-AFTRA’s Los Angeles committee on sexual harassment following a decision by the national board. The board stated they had received many detailed reports from women who had experienced or seen sexual harassment, abuse, or assault committed by Feldman.

Feldman refuted the claims, stating the same women had made similar accusations to The Hollywood Reporter two years prior.

The 98th Academy Awards will honor the top movies of 2025 at a glamorous ceremony held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m excited to share that Conan O’Brien, at 62, is back to host the show for another year! He’s really stepped in and made the role his own after taking the reins from Jimmy Kimmel, and it’s fantastic to see him return.

Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners’ received an unprecedented 16 Academy Award nominations, making it the most nominated film ever in the awards’ history.

The scary movie is nominated for Best Picture, along with nine other films: Bugonia, F1, Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another, The Secret Agent, Sentimental Value, and Train Dreams.

Michael B. Jordan, known for his role in ‘Sinners,’ is up against strong competition for Best Actor. He’s nominated alongside Timothée Chalamet (‘Marty Supreme’), Leonardo DiCaprio (‘One Battle After Another’), Ethan Hawke (‘Blue Moon’), and Wagner Moura (‘The Secret Agent’).

Set in Mississippi during the 1930s, Sinners tells the story of twin brothers – both portrayed by Jordan – who come home to find their hometown plagued by a terrifying supernatural force.

The competition for Best Actor is incredibly close right now. Timothée Chalamet seemed like the frontrunner after winning the Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice awards, but Michael Jordan gained significant ground with his win at the Actor Awards (previously known as the SAG Awards).

The ceremony is happening at a sensitive time, following recent criticism of Timothée Chalamet for saying people aren’t interested in ballet or opera. His comments caused a strong negative reaction from those in the arts.

Josh Safdie’s film, Marty Supreme, tells the story of Marty Reisman, a gifted table tennis player in 1950s New York. Starring Timothée Chalamet, the movie follows a young prodigy whose drive to win a world championship puts a strain on his relationships.

Jessie Buckley, the Irish actress, is currently the favorite to win Best Actress for her performance in Hamnet. She’s up against strong competition from Rose Byrne (If I Had Legs I would Kick You), Kate Hudson (Song Sung Blue), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), and Emma Stone (Bugonia).

Directed by Chloe Zhao, who won Best Director in 2021, Hamnet offers a new look at William Shakespeare’s personal life. The film explores how the loss of his 11-year-old son deeply affected him and inspired his famous play, Hamlet.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another earned 13 nominations.

The film received several nominations, including Best Director, Best Actor for Leonardo DiCaprio, and Best Supporting Actor nods for both Benicio del Toro and Sean Penn.

This darkly humorous action thriller centers on a former revolutionary (Leonardo DiCaprio) who’s been living in hiding. He’s pulled back into the world when his old enemy, a corrupt military officer (Sean Penn), targets his daughter, forcing him to come to her rescue.

In addition to Penn and del Toro, Jacob Elordi (for Frankenstein), Delroy Lindo (for Sinners), and Stellan Skarsgard (for Sentimental Value) are also nominated for Best Supporting Actor.

Many observers felt Paul Mescal (for his role in Hamnet), Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly), and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia) deserved to be nominated but were overlooked.

Frankenstein and Sentimental Value both earned nine nominations at this year’s ceremony. 

Guillermo del Toro’s take on Frankenstein beautifully retells Mary Shelley’s story, centering on the deeply emotional journey of a creature searching for acceptance and the painful rejection he faces from his creator.

Joachim Trier’s film, Sentimental Value, tells the story of two sisters who must come to terms with their long-lost, filmmaker father.

The contenders for Best Supporting Actress are Elle Fanning for her work in ‘Sentimental Value’, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas also from ‘Sentimental Value’, Amy Madigan in ‘Weapons’, Wunmi Mosaku from ‘Sinners’, and Teyana Taylor in ‘One Battle After Another’.

Fans were very upset when Ariana Grande wasn’t nominated for a supporting role in the movie Wicked.

She had been nominated last year for her work in the first film of the musical franchise.

Despite strong praise for Cynthia Erivo’s performance and the addition of new songs like “No Place Like Home” and “The Girl In The Bubble,” the movie Wicked: For Good didn’t receive any award nominations.

Gwyneth Paltrow was also left off the list in the category for her work in Marty Supreme. 

A new award recognizing outstanding casting was announced this year. The first nominees are Nina Gold for Hamnet, Jennifer Venditti for Marty Supreme, Cassandra Kulukundis for One Battle After Another, Gabriel Domingues for The Secret Agent, and Francine Maisler for Sinners.

The event starts at 7pm Eastern Time / 4pm Pacific Time and will be broadcast live on ABC. You can also watch it live on Hulu, or through streaming services like Hulu + Live TV, YouTube TV, AT&T TV, and FuboTV.

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2026-03-16 04:05