As always, the Oscars 2025 In Memoriam segment had to make some cuts, but a few of those omissions were even more glaring and upsetting than usual. With the 2025 Oscars winners reveals, there inevitably came the annual In Memoriam reel of the Academy Awards, meant to honor and remember those names in the industry that have pᴀssed in the last year. This year saw the loss of some Hollywood giants, including, among others, James Earl Jones, Maggie Smith, and, of course, Gene Hackman.

While the Oscars’ In Memoriam song choice of “Lacrimosa” got people talking, they were even more upset about the omissions. The missing names were understandable in some cases – even though their omission still hurt – but others were genuinely head-scratching. They were huge names in movies and entertainment, and contributed to cinema in ways that were both profound and impactful. While it’s impossible to include every single person who worked in the entertainment industry who pᴀsses in a year, the decision to cut some stars from the In Memoriam reel doesn’t make sense.

7

Tony Todd

1954 – 2024

Of all the actors on this list, Tony Todd’s exclusion is perhaps the most inexplicable. The legendary genre actor graced screens big and small, most notably Todd’s various roles in the Star Trek franchise. But the actor is unquestionably best ᴀssociated with his most iconic role, Candyman.

After his breakout as the тιтular bogeyman in that movie, Todd contributed his imposing presence to a number of cult classic movies in the next few years, including The Crow (Grange), The Rock (Captain Darrow), and Final Destination (Bludworth), and continued acting right up to his untimely death last November. Considering his body of work in film, the decision to omit him from this year’s In Memoriam reel is dumbfounding and more than a bit insulting to his fans and those who appreciated his work.

6

Michelle Trachtenberg

1985 – 2025

Michelle Trachtenberg’s omission from the In Memoriam reel incensed people who watched her grow up on screen. The outrage was especially pointed, considering Gene Hackman’s pᴀssing was reported a day after, and he was still prominently featured in the reel, including Morgan Freeman, with his now-trademark glove, making a rare appearance to introduce the segment and honor his late friend.

Trachtenberg was undoubtedly best known for her work on TV, including playing Dawn Summers in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Georgina Sparks in Gossip Girl. Still, she also had an extensive movie career, playing the тιтular role in Harriet the Spy as a child, and appearing in other movies like EuroTrip, Black Christmas, 17 Again, and Take Me Home Tonight.

5

Bernard Hill

1944 – 2024

Character actor Bernard Hill was also left off the In Memoriam reel after his pᴀssing in May 2024. As a character actor, Hill had appeared in countless projects on stage, television, and film. It’s his roles in a few iconic movies, however, that makes his lack of inclusion so confusing.

One of his earlier movie roles was playing Captain Smith in James Cameron’s тιтanic, and, of course, the beloved King Theoden in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. Beyond those notable roles, however, the British actor appeared in countless films, including Gothika, Wimbledon, Valkyrie, and ParaNorman, leaving a big stamp on Hollywood and making the In Memoriam snub sting even more.

4

Olivia Hussey

1951 – 2021

Olivia Hussey was another name whose absence had people talking. The British actress hadn’t acted since 2015, and her previous on-screen role before that was in 2008, so she’s certainly been out of the spotlight for quite some time. Still, her body of work on the big screen has outlasted her career, making it odd she wasn’t included.

Hussey first broke out as a teenager, playing Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s classic 1968 adaptation of Romeo and Juliet. and her career grew from there. She had a leading role in the 1974 cult slasher Black Christmas and in 1978’s Agatha Christie adaptation Death on the Nile, among other roles. For those three performances alone, however, Hussey should have been on the Oscars reel this year.

3

Alain Delon

1935 – 2024

French heartthrob Alain Delon was once considered one of the most beautiful men in the world, but his otherworldly good looks belied his incredible talent and charisma on screen. While Delon was predominantly a French actor, he did appear in multiple Hollywood films. His impact on cinema in two countries was so profound that he should have been included by the 2025 Oscars in its memorial segment.

Delon’s Hollywood debut came in 1965 when he landed the lead role in Once Upon a Thief, starring opposite Ann-Margaret. Other notable films aimed at American and British audiences included The Yellow Rolls-Royce, Is Paris Burning?, Lost Command, and Texas Across the River. While his star never burned as brightly in the U.S. as it did in his home country of France, Delon was a generational talent.

2

Silvia Pinal

1931 – 2024

Like Delon, Silvia Pinal was another international superstar who nonetheless had such an enormous impact on the field of cinema and filmmaking that she absolutely should have been included in the Oscars In Memoriam list. As one of the biggest stars in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, Pinal’s star was up there with the likes of American contemporaries Audrey Hepburn and Natalie Wood.

Pinal did appear in one Hollywood movie, though – 1967’s Shark!, starring opposite megastar Burt Reynolds. Still, Pinal’s staggeringly impressive body of work was almost exclusively in the Mexican film industry, but, like a handful of exceptionally charismatic starlets of the day, her star transcended her country, and she became an international star and acclaimed from her work across the world.

1

Shannon Doherty

1971 – 2024

A few people were even wondering where Shannen Doherty was in the Oscars 2025 In Memoriam reel, but the answer to that one, at least, is easy: as primarily a TV actress, she was already honored at the 2024 Emmys last September. Doherty had certainly appeared in a few cult classic movies in her career, notably Heathers and Mallrats, but her name was made on the small screen.

Her role as bad girl Brenda Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210 made her a household name, and her role as Prue Halliwell on Charmed cemented it. In between her tragic bouts of cancer were dozens of other TV roles, so it’s fitting Doherty’s life and memory were honored at the Emmys and not the Academy Awards.

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