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By Claire Dodds
Life & Trends Reporter
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An emotional tribute to filmmaker Rob Reiner at the 2026 Oscars brought together a large group of actors who worked with the director across decades of Hollywood history, sparking both praise from viewers and discussion online about who was missing.
During Sunday’s ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, actor and comedian Billy Crystal introduced the 'In Memoriam' segment with a tribute to Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who were found dead at their California home in December.
The moment featured a cross-section of performers tied to the filmmaker’s work, with many holding hands as the audience applauded.
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The group included stars from films such as Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, Misery, A Few Good Men, The American President, The Sure Thing and When Harry Met Sally.
Among those who appeared during the tribute were:
- Billy Crystal (Host/Tribute Lead)
- Michael McKean (This Is Spinal Tap)
- Christopher Guest (This Is Spinal Tap)
- Jerry O'Connell (Stand By Me)
- Wil Wheaton (Stand By Me)
- Fred Savage (The Princess Bride)
- Cary Elwes (The Princess Bride)
- Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride)
- Carol Kane (The Princess Bride)
- Meg Ryan (When Harry Met Sally)
- Kiefer Sutherland (Stand By Me)
- Demi Moore (A Few Good Men)
- Kevin Pollak (A Few Good Men)
- Kathy Bates (Misery)
- Annette Bening (The American President)
- John Cusack (The Sure Thing)
- Daphne Zuniga (The Sure Thing)
The tribute was one of several emotional moments during the 'In Memoriam' portion of the ceremony.
The segment also recognized other figures in film who died over the past year, with performers and filmmakers honored on the screen and through live tributes.
Among the most widely noted omissions was Corey Feldman, who appeared in Reiner’s 1986 coming-of-age film Stand By Me.
Feldman addressed the situation directly on social media after fans questioned why he had not appeared in the tribute.
“HI FOLLOWERS & SUPPORTERS, I JUST WANT 2 BRIEFLY MENTION THIS WHOLE OSCARS THING! YES ITS TRUE THAT I WAS NOT INVITED,” Feldman wrote in a post on X.
“HOWEVER THIS ISNT ABOUT ME! ITS NOT MY MOMENT @ ALL! ITS ABOUT THE TRAGIC LOSS OF R FRIEND ROB REINER & HIS MEMORY [sic].”
In the same message, he urged supporters to avoid turning the moment into controversy, adding, “PLEASE TAKE DOWN ANY PETITIONS 2 PUSH 4 MY PRESENCE @ THE AWARDS. THEY DONT NEED ME THERE [sic].”
Other notable names who did not appear included Tom Cruise, who worked with Reiner on A Few Good Men, and Jack Nicholson, who starred in A Few Good Men and The Bucket List.
Cruise is widely believed to have been busy filming the eighth Mission: Impossible installment, while Nicholson has largely stepped back from public appearances in recent years.
billy crystal delivers a tribute to rob reiner at
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The moment still resonated strongly with viewers following along online, with one Reddit user writing, “That was a beautiful tribute to two beautiful souls.”
Another praised the inclusion of Demi Moore, writing, “Rob Reiner was one of the few directors who treated Demi Moore like an actress, not a shallow movie star. What a touching moment to see her up on that stage for him.”
“Truly an immeasurable loss but what a stunning legacy," one commenter noted. "Beautiful tribute.”
For many fans, the onstage reunion of Reiner collaborators served as a reminder of the filmmaker’s wide influence across genres—from romantic comedies and courtroom dramas to fantasy adventures and coming-of-age stories—while highlighting the deep connections he built with actors throughout his career.
Newsweek has reached out to the Academy for comment via email.
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