Several prominent stars were left out of the televised In Memoriam tribute at the 2026 Emmy Awards, including Chuck Norris, Nicholas Brendon, Robert Redford and James Ransone.
The segment was broadcast during Monday night’s ceremony, with Noah Kahan performing Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as the montage paid tribute to television performers and creatives who had died over the past year.
Separate tributes were also given to Dolly Parton, Catherine O’Hara and Rob Reiner. However, viewers noted that a number of figures with significant television careers did not appear in the televised memorial.
Stars missing from the 2026 Emmys In Memoriam tribute
Norris, best known for Walker, Texas Ranger, died on March 19, 2026. Brendon, who died the following day, played Xander Harris throughout all seven seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and later had a recurring role on Criminal Minds.
Brendon’s former Buffy co-star Anthony Head was included in the montage. During a presenting appearance, Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz also paid tribute to late members of the Buffy cast, including Michelle Trachtenberg, who died aged 39 in February 2025.
“David and I would like to acknowledge it’s been a tough two years for our beloved cast and crew, and we feel very lucky to have known and worked with such amazing people,” Gellar said on stage.
Redford was also absent from the broadcast. Although primarily known as a film star, he had early television roles in programmes including The Twilight Zone and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. He later executive produced AMC’s Dark Winds and made an uncredited appearance in the series. He was honoured at the 2026 Academy Awards.
Other names missing from the televised tribute included Patrick Muldoon, known for Days of Our Lives and Melrose Place; Big Love actress and Lilo & Stitch voice star Daveigh Chase; 30 Rock actor Grizz Chapman; voice actors Peter Cullen and Tom Kane; and Jaye P. Morgan, who appeared on The Gong Show.
James Ransone, whose credits included The Wire and It, was also not shown in the montage. His widow, Jamie “Skipper” McPhee, criticised the decision in posts on Instagram Stories.
“My husband @jamesransone was not acknowledged in memoriam at tonight’s Emmys,” McPhee wrote, referring to Ransone by his nickname, PJ. “He was also not at the Oscars earlier this year. PJ was impossible, lovable, intolerable and incredible — depends on who you ask. But without question — he was a great actor.”
In a follow-up post, she said: “I didn’t watch the Emmys so l only now understand how much of a snub this truly was.”
“I am incredibly disappointed @televisionacad,” she added. “@JamesRansone was an incredibly gifted actor and it simply is not right to not acknowledge him and his work.”
The Television Academy’s online memorial
The omissions applied to the televised montage, rather than the Television Academy’s wider online In Memoriam database. The searchable memorial includes performers, writers, producers and other television professionals.
All of the names identified as missing from the broadcast are included in that online record.
