What was meant to be a solemn moment of remembrance quickly became one of the night's most debated talking points, as viewers began questioning how certain familiar names could have been overlooked. The explanations that followed only added another layer to the controversy.The Emmys' In Memoriam segment was meant to offer a moving farewell to television figures lost over the past year. But as the names and faces passed across the screen, some people began realizing who they weren't seeing.
The 2026 ceremony paid tribute to several major stars, including Dolly Parton, Hayden Panettiere, Catherine O'Hara, and Rob Reiner. Yet despite the long tribute, several performers with substantial television careers were nowhere to be seen onscreen.Among them were Daveigh Chase, Nicholas Brendon, Peter Cullen, Tom Kane, and, perhaps most surprisingly, Chuck Norris.
The Chuck Norris Omission Quickly Stood OutAccording to TMZ's report, Norris was among the familiar names noticeably absent from the televised tribute. The actor, who died in March 2026, was hardly a stranger to television. In fact, his TV résumé stretched across decades. Norris was best known on the small screen for starring in all nine seasons of "Walker, Texas Ranger."
The long-running action series became his signature television role. His television work did not end there. Norris also appeared in "The Goldbergs," "Hawaii Five-0," and "Sons of Thunder." He even had his own animated series, "Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos."With that history behind him, his omission understandably became one of the night's biggest talking points. And viewers did not hold back.One commenter reacted to the discussion online, writing, "Neither was Diane Keaton nor Robert Redford." A fellow spectator had another name in mind, commenting, "Scott Bryce from as the world turns was missed too. They should just omit the attorneys & agents & put the actors in instead [sic]."
Meanwhile, another commenter responded to the controversy with, "You have it backwards. Chuck Norris excluded Emmy's in Memoriam [sic]..." Elsewhere, another fan made their feelings about Norris crystal clear, declaring, "Chuck Norris doesn't need the Emmys, the Emmys need him," while someone else pointed out, "Also…they ignored the girl from the monsterverse.."Norris was not the only omission attracting attention. Chase's absence prompted an especially blunt response from someone who knew her personally.
Chase died earlier in 2026 and had accumulated television credits dating back to childhood. Her work included appearances on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch," "Charmed," "The Practice," "ER," "Yes, Dear," "That's Life," "Touched by an Angel," "Inside Schwartz," and "The Guardian."
Many viewers may also remember Chase for work outside traditional live-action television. She voiced Lilo Pelekai in the "Lilo & Stitch" franchise and played Samara Morgan in "The Ring."
Naturally, like Norris, her lengthy list of television appearances made her absence from an Emmy memorial particularly noticeable. Her manager and friend Johnny Ryan did not disguise his frustration.
Two Major Voice Actors Were Also Absent
The omissions were not limited to stars best known for appearing in front of the camera. Peter Cullen, whose voice became familiar to generations of television viewers, was also missing from the televised tribute.
Cullen's extensive animation résumé included "The Smurfs," "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends," "Knight Rider," "The Transformers," "G.I. Joe," "The Real Ghostbusters," "The Jetsons," and "Transformers: Prime," among numerous other productions.Then there was Tom Kane, another prolific voice performer whose television work extended across decades.
Kane's credits included "Iron Man," "The Incredible Hulk," "Duckman," "Spider-Man: The Animated Series," "The Angry Beavers," "The Powerpuff Girls," "Star Wars: The Clone Wars," "Samurai Jack," and "Robot Chicken."Taken together, the list showed just how difficult the task of assembling an In Memoriam reel can become. Still, that explanation did little to stop viewers from wondering why certain familiar faces and voices had not made the televised cut.
Why Doesn't Everyone Make the Broadcast?
There is an important distinction between being omitted from the televised segment and being forgotten entirely. As Variety explained while examining the 2026 In Memoriam omissions, it simply is not possible for the ceremony to include every person who died during the previous year.
That becomes even more complicated when someone's career leaned more heavily toward film or music rather than television.So, while the televised montage has a strict time limit, the remembrance does not necessarily stop when the broadcast does. Fans can find additional industry figures who were not shown onscreen through the Television Academy's In Memoriam page.
That context may explain how omissions happen. Still, it does not necessarily make them less surprising when someone with a lengthy television résumé fails to appear. And in Norris' case, nine seasons as the star of "Walker, Texas Ranger" gave viewers plenty of reason to ask questions.
The Audience Inside the Theater Also Drew Attention
The names missing from the screen were not the only thing making the 2026 In Memoriam segment unusual. According to IndieWire's account of what happened inside the Peacock Theater, audience behavior during the memorial produced some awkward moments of its own.
Before the main tribute reel began, the ceremony had already featured a separate remembrance of O'Hara. Her onscreen "children" Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy, and Dan Levy took part in that tribute.
The audience was then asked to hold its applause until the end of the In Memoriam segment. That request apparently did not stick. Instead, members of the audience reportedly picked and chose which names received applause while others were met with silence.
Catherine O'Hara was among the major stars who did receive a prominent remembrance during the ceremony. Her tribute came before the main In Memoriam reel and included appearances from her onscreen children Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy. | Source: Getty Images
Even Parton and Panettiere reportedly received cheers while folk Singer Noah Kahan performed the somber "Bridge Over Troubled Water." The contrast made for a particularly unusual atmosphere during what is typically one of the ceremony's quietest and most reflective portions.
Dolly Parton was also honored during the In Memoriam segment, with her appearance reportedly prompting cheers from parts of the audience. The reaction stood out because attendees had been asked to hold their applause until the tribute was over. | Source: Getty Images
The ending created some confusion as well. After Jamie Lee Curtis acknowledged Director Burrows, another tribute unexpectedly appeared onscreen.
Curtis then shifted into a remembrance of her "The Bear" co-star Reiner, creating an initially abrupt transition before the tribute ultimately became an emotional farewell.
Rob Reiner received one of the final tributes of the segment, with Jamie Lee Curtis delivering the remembrance. The transition initially caught the audience off guard, but the moment became an emotional send-off to the late performer, producer and writer. | Source: Getty Images
IndieWire also reported that the ceremony had plenty happening inside the Peacock Theater that television viewers did not necessarily see. Television Academy Leader Cris Abrego at one point had to ask the lively crowd to settle down and return to their seats.
Choreographer and Producer Eboni Nichols later encouraged the room, including Colman Domingo, to join Mariska Hargitay's opening number by standing, clapping, dancing and singing along.
John Mulaney also delivered an extended presentation for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series that included a portion censored from the broadcast.
The comedian discussed masculinity, referenced Frank Vincent's memoir, and joked about Fonzie announcing the Kennedy assassination before making a remark about oral sex that was bleeped.
His defense of the act reportedly earned a loud response inside the room. Yet one of the biggest reactions of the evening came for a decidedly more emotional reason.
John Mulaney delivered one of the ceremony's more unpredictable presentations, including a portion that was bleeped from the broadcast. His extended bit on masculinity drew a lively response from the crowd inside the Peacock Theater. | Source: Getty Images
Michael J. Fox took the stage to accept the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, prompting people throughout the theater to rise.
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Fox spoke about Hope's commitment to entertaining troops and reflected on his own path toward advocating for Parkinson's research, with $1 billion raised and counting.
Behind the scenes, however, even that moving moment had a slightly awkward precursor. IndieWire reported that during a commercial break roughly an hour earlier, the Emmy team had been rehearsing Fox's career reel in a corner of the stage.
Michael J. Fox received the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award during one of the night's most emotional moments. His speech reflected on Bob Hope's legacy and Fox's own work advocating for Parkinson's research. | Source: Getty Images
During Commercial Breaks, the Mood Changed Completely
Not everything happening away from the television cameras was serious. One behind-the-scenes Emmy tradition returned, with television theme songs playing through the theater during commercial breaks.
The playlist included themes from "Boy Meets World," "Modern Family," "The White Lotus," "Jeopardy," "Big Brother," "The Good Place," "Moesha," "Entourage," and "Suits."
Naturally, with "Law & Order" veteran Hargitay hosting the evening, that show's famous theme and signature "dun-dun" also made the cut. It was a lighter counterpoint to a ceremony containing some deeply emotional moments. But once the night was over, the conversation returned to those who had not appeared during one of its most solemn sections.
The Missing Names Became Part of the Story
The In Memoriam segment exists to recognize performers, creators, and other television figures who died during the relevant period. With only limited airtime and an enormous industry to represent, some omissions are practically inevitable.
Still, viewers tend to remember television stars through years of repeated appearances in their homes, making those absences especially personal.
For Chase's friend and manager, the omission was upsetting enough to publicly condemn. For fans, the conversation expanded almost immediately to other performers they believed deserved acknowledgment.
And then there was Chuck Norris. With nine seasons of "Walker, Texas Ranger," additional television appearances, and even an animated series behind him, his name became one of the clearest examples of why the stars not appearing in an In Memoriam montage can sometimes generate almost as much discussion as those who do.
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Taken together, the listTakenTaken together, the list showed just how difficult the task of assembling an In Memoriam reel can become. Still, that explanation did little to stop viewers from wondering why certain familiar faces and voices had not made the televised cut.
together, the list showed just how difficult the task of assembling an In Memoriam reel can become. Still, that explanation did little to stop viewers from wondering why certain familiar faces and voices had not made the televised cut.
showedTaken together, the list showed just how difficult the task of assembling an In Memoriam reel can become. Still, that explanation did little to stop viewers from wondering why certain familiar faces and voices had not made the televised cut.
just how difficult the task of assembling an In Memoriam reel can become. Still, that explanation did little to stop viewers from wondering why certain familiar faces and voices had not made the televised cut.
Taken together, the list showed just how difficult the task of assembling an In Memoriam reel can become. Still, that explanation did little to stop viewers from wondering why certain familiar faces and voices had not made the televised cut.
"These [expletive] Emmys snubbed Daveigh from the In Memoriam. Awful," Ryan told TMZ. It was one of the strongest reactions to emerge after the broadcast.
Two Major Voice Actors Were Also Absent
The omissions were not limited to stars best known for appearing in front of the camera. Peter Cullen, whose voice became familiar to generations of television viewers, was also missing from the televised tribute.
Cullen's extensive animation résumé included "The Smurfs," "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends," "Knight Rider," "The Transformers," "G.I. Joe," "The Real Ghostbusters," "The Jetsons," and "Transformers: Prime," among numerous other productions.Nicholas Brendon Was Missing Too
Another notable absence was Brendon, whose television credentials included one especially substantial role. Brendon starred throughout all seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," appearing in all 144 episodes of the teen drama.
For a performer with such a lengthy connection to one television series, his absence naturally added another name to the growing conversation surrounding the segment.
Nicholas Brendon Was Missing Too
Another notable absence was Brendon, whose television credentials included one especially substantial role. Brendon starred throughout all seven seasons of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," appearing in all 144 episodes of the teen drama.
For a performer with such a lengthy connection to one television series, his absence naturally added another name to the growing conversation surrounding the segment.
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