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This year's Oscars In Memoriam section was one of the longest in the show's history after a particularly bad year for losses in the film industry. The show paid special tribute to Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton and Robert Redford in breakout segments while giving others who died this year their moment on screen. Barbra Streisand even sang briefly as she remembered former co-star Robert who died in September last year.

However, despite the sentimental tone, many people took umbrage at the lengthy segment particularly as the winners speeches were all so short. Taking to X one fumed: "There is no reason the in memoriam segment should be this long. Nice speeches, nice stories, but they're gonna try to play all the awards off after thirty seconds." Another added: "Why is the In Memoriam section SO LONG!? This is not a funeral service ABC." A third chimed in: "Sorry but this in memoriam is way too long."

Others were not impressed by some of the omissions in the segment, with James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane amongst those not included. "Nah why weren't James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane not in the #Oscars in memoriam???" one commented. Another exclaimed:"Eric Dane and Van Deer Beek were left out of the In Memoriam." Meanwhile someone else pondered: "James Van Der Beek not in the Oscars 'in memoriam', is it an oversight or is there a 'cut off date' for inclusion?"

James and Eric weren't the only stars left out of the lengthy spot. Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Robert Carradine, June Lockhart, "Harold and Maude" star Bud Cort and Brigitte Bardot also didn't make the cut. Complaining on X one viewer wrote: "Brigitte Bardot not being included in the In Memoriam segment is a pretty astounding miss," another added. "Notable omissions! Some big names missed in the #Oscars In Memoriam this year. #HollywoodRemembered."

Despite the omission many viewers admitted they were in tears at the segment, which opened with a sombre looking Billy Crystal paying tribute to his longtime friend Rob Reiner who, along with his wife Michele Singer, was found murdered in his $13.5million Brentwood mansion in December 2025.

Ending his emotional speech he said: "Their loss is immeasurable and to the millions who have enjoyed his films all these years, I want you to know here and around the world, how many times Rob told me that it meant everything to him, that his work meant something to you and for us who have the privilege of working with and knowing him and loving him, all we can say is buddy what fun we had, storming the castle."

Rachel McAdams took to the stage in the middle of the segment to mark the passing of several female stars including Catherine O'Hara and Diane Ladd while paying special tribute to Diane Keaton.

"There isn't an actress of my generation who's not inspired by and enthralled with her absolute singularity she wore so many hats, literally and figuratively, actress, artist, author, activist, but no more important to her than being a mother to her two children," she said as her voice cracked.

Finally, Barbra Streisand emerged to pay tribute to Robert Redford, her co-star in 1973's The Way We Were. The 83-year-old couldn't be heard for the first few seconds as her microphone played up, but she went on to explain how he had been her first choice for the role in the movie. "We had a wonderful time playing with each other, because we never quite knew what the other one was going to do and I'm thrilled that The Way We Were is now considered a classic love story," she said.

At the end of her emotional recollections, she sang a few bars of her enduring classic theme song to the movie.