Rob Reiner Was At Conan O'Brien's House That Fateful Night. Now, The Oscars Will Pay Tribute To The Late Director

Awards Season is coming to its grand finale this weekend, as the 2026 Academy Awards are airing this Sunday. While folks are looking forward to seeing which movies take home Oscars, the ceremony is also expected to honor some of the celebrities who have passed away since last year. And host Conan O'Brien recently confirmed that something special is being planned for the In Memoriam segment, specifically honoring Rob Reiner.

The death of Rob Reiner shocked both his fans and the public in December, especially since the prime suspect for the apparent homicide is his son. Rob and Nick Reiner argued at a party at O'Brien's the day before his death, and in a recent interview with Extra, the host was asked what was being planned for his late friend. Conan struggled to find the words, but offered:

Conan was careful with his words in order to not sound glib or make light of a truly tragic circumstance. Given his personal connection to both Reiner and his death, you can't blame him. And I assume that emotions are going to be high during the ceremony's In Memoriam, especially where Rob and Michele Reiner are concerned.

While the Reiners' death happened back in December, the Hollywood community is still reeling from the tragedy. Tributes to Rob and Michele came rolling in immediately, and the public has been following as the legal situation plays out with their son Nick, who is currently incarcerated as he awaits trial.

Either this month, Rob Reiner would have turned 79, which no doubt brought up a ton of emotions for those who knew the late filmmaker/actor. The Academy Awards' In Memoriam segment seems like a great way for the community to honor him and to be with each other in their feelings of mourning. We'll just have to see what Conan O'Brien and company have planned, and how emotional things get in the room.

The Oscars' In Memoriam usually makes headlines after it airs, often because fans are bummed that certain actors weren't included. It's more than possible that this will happen again on Sunday, but there are a number of recent celebrity deaths that will raise the stakes this year. In addition to Rob Reiner, folks are expecting other names like late actress Catherine O'Hara to get their moment as well.

The 98th Academy Awards will air Sunday, March 15th, on ABC or streaming with a Hulu subscription as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Given Conan O'Brien's comments, I assume it's going to be an emotional evening.