Grey’s Anatomy the creator Shonda Rhimes you measure Eric Dane being left out of the In Memoriam segment at the 2026 Oscars.
“Well, he’s not a movie star, you know?” Rhimes, 56, told Entertainment Tonight on Monday, March 16. “And I feel like when the Emmys come around, he’s going to be immortalized the way he should be.”
He continued, “We can’t blame the Oscars for watching the movies, and there were too many people missing, but Eric was special on TV and I can’t wait to see what they do with him. [at the Emmys].”
Rhimes went on to say that Dane is “an unbelievable person,” noting that she’s talking about him in the present tense because “it’s so hard [her] to believe that he is gone.”
“He was a great loss for us Grey’s Anatomy family,” she said. I don’t know if everyone understands how amazing she was.”
In February, news broke that Dane had died at the age of 53 after revealing that he had ALS less than a year earlier.
“It is with heavy hearts that we share that Eric Dane passed away Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” his family said in a statement. Us at that time. “He spent his last days surrounded by his dear friends, his devoted wife and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”
The statement continued, “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference to others facing the same battle. He will always be deeply missed and remembered with love. Eric loved his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he received. The family has requested privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
After a quick internet retreat, fans learned why James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane were not honored during the 2026 Oscars In Memoriam. A source tells Us Weekly that the Academy is “receiving hundreds of requests to nominate our favorite people and colleagues from the industry” to be featured during the emotional segment. To reduce many […]
On Sunday, March 15, the awards show, Dane was noticeably absent in honoring those who died in the past year.
A source later told Us Weekly that the Academy “receives hundreds of requests to include our loved ones and industry partners” to be included during the emotional segment. In order to reduce the number of requests, a “managing committee” was created with members representing all branches of the School.
The insider noted that committee members review the list and make “recommendations for broadcasts based on the estimated time available.” For those who are not recognized during the live awards show, their names appear on the Oscars website with all submissions made throughout the year. (Us has reached out to the Academy for comment.)
