In Memoriam Tributes at Recent Award Shows
In the past three months, several major award ceremonies have featured poignant "In Memoriam" segments, honoring notable figures in the entertainment industry who have passed away. Below is a summary of these tributes:
Academy Awards (Oscars) 2025
Date: March 2, 2025
Highlights:
Gene Hackman Tribute: Morgan Freeman delivered a heartfelt eulogy for his friend and co-star Gene Hackman, who passed away recently. Freeman highlighted Hackman's illustrious career and their collaborations in films like "Unforgiven" and "Under Suspicion." (apnews.com)
Quincy Jones Tribute: Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg introduced a special homage to Quincy Jones, who died in November 2024. The tribute featured Queen Latifah performing "Ease on Down the Road" from "The Wiz," celebrating Jones's significant contributions to music and film. (apnews.com)
In Memoriam Segment: The segment honored industry legends such as David Lynch, Maggie Smith, James Earl Jones, Donald Sutherland, and Shelley Duvall. However, it faced criticism for omitting notable figures like Michelle Trachtenberg, Shannen Doherty, and Tony Todd. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Grammy Awards 2025
Date: February 2, 2025
Highlights:
In Memoriam Performance: Chris Martin of Coldplay, accompanied by Grace Bowers, performed "All My Love" during the segment, honoring artists including Quincy Jones, Liam Payne, Toby Keith, Rich Homie Quan, and Cissy Houston. (grammy.com)
Quincy Jones Tribute: A separate tribute featured performances by Cynthia Erivo, Lainey Wilson, Herbie Hancock, and Stevie Wonder, celebrating Jones's enduring legacy in the music industry. (live.grammy.com)
Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards 2025
Date: February 23, 2025
Highlights:
In Memoriam Segment: Introduced by Lisa Kudrow, the segment paid tribute to actors such as Shannen Doherty, Shelley Duvall, Olivia Hussey, James Earl Jones, Richard Lewis, Bob Newhart, and Donald Sutherland. (en.wikipedia.org)
Soap Opera Stars Honored: The tribute included soap opera veterans like Leslie Charleson, Drake Hogestyn, Wayne Northrop, and Johnny Wactor, acknowledging their contributions to daytime television. (michaelfairmantv.com)
British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) 2025
Date: February 16, 2025
Highlights:
- In Memoriam Performance: Jeff Goldblum performed "As Time Goes By" on piano during the segment, honoring individuals such as Alain Delon, Anouk Aimée, John Amos, Louis Gossett Jr., James Earl Jones, Shelley Duvall, Roger Corman, Teri Garr, Donald Sutherland, and Maggie Smith. (en.wikipedia.org)
Tony Awards 2025
Date: June 8, 2025
Highlights:
- In Memoriam Performance: Cynthia Erivo and Sara Bareilles performed a duet of "Tomorrow" to honor theater professionals who passed away, including Gene Hackman, James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, and Donald Sutherland. (en.wikipedia.org)
BET Awards 2025
Date: June 9, 2025
Highlights:
- In Memoriam Segment: The segment honored Black entertainers who passed away between 2024 and 2025. However, it faced criticism for omitting singer Angie Stone, despite a tribute performance of her song "No More Rain (In This Cloud)" by Brittney Spencer. (en.wikipedia.org)
These tributes reflect the industry's efforts to honor and remember the contributions of its members, though some omissions have sparked discussions about the selection criteria for these segments.