The New Oscars In Memoriam Segment Doesn't Fix The Recurring Problem, But I Still Love It

The 2026 Oscars have come and gone, with a new batch of artists taking home the coveted Academy Award. There were a number of memorable moments this year, including the In Memoriam segment, which honored folks like late filmmaker Rob Reiner, Catherine O'Hara, Diane Keaton, and Robert Redford. While the Oscars still left out some names, I absolutely loved the format change to this emotional segment.

The Oscars In Memoriam always leaves some folks out, and this year fans noticed both James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane were missing. While one can debate who should and shouldn't have been included in the telecast, I think that the way certain individuals were memorialized should stick around for future Academy Awards. Hear me out.

The Oscars Special Tributes Were Moving And Beautiful

The In Memoriam segment started off with a emotional gut punch, as a number of the stars of Rob Reiner's movies united on stage, holding hands. His death was a shock, especially with his son Nick being held as the prime suspect of the apparent homicide. Billy Crystal offered a heartfelt message, and seeing all of the late director's collaborators stand in solidarity was very moving.

From there the In Memoriam video began playing, but Reiner wasn't the only one who was given a special honor during this segment. Rachel McAdams took the stage to honor Catherine O'Hara and share a touching story about late actress Diane Keaton during their time working together on The Family Stone and Morning Glory. After that, the video resumed... until none other than Barbra Streisand hit the stage.

Streisand joined the In Memoriam segment to pay tribute to the late actor/filmmaker Robert Redford. The living legend shared stories about their longstanding friendship, and even sang a bit of "The Way We Were" to end the tribute. I mean, who doesn't want to hear the great Streisand sing one of her most iconic songs?

While there were some folks out there disappointed at the absence of certain actors, I really appreciated the way the In Memoriam was handled this year. Having big names be honored in this way felt appropriate, and it was far more personal with their surviving loved ones sharing stories. Personally, I think this is a format change that should stick around for the foreseeable future. Obviously, this might depend on what film icons pass away over the next year, but you can't deny that this adjustment made the segment especially emotional for those in attendance, as well as folks like me watching from home.

We'll just have to see if this format change becomes permanent when the Oscars return next year, available exclusively with a Hulu subscription. Only time will tell what adjustments will be made.