Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes is weighing in on Eric Dane being left out of the In Memoriam segment at the 2026 Oscars.
“Well, he’s not a movie star, you know?” Rhimes, 56, told Entertainment Tonight on Monday, March 16. “And I feel like when the Emmys come around, he will be immortalized the way he should be.”
She continued, “We can’t fault the Oscars for the fact that they’re looking at movies. And there were so many people who were lost, but Eric was unique to television and I can’t wait to see what they do with him [at the Emmys].”
Rhimes went on to note that Dane “is an incredible being,” noting that she referred to him in the present tense because it’s “very hard for [her] to believe he’s gone.”
“He was a huge loss for us. He was a huge loss for the Shondaland family, for the Grey’s Anatomy family,” she said. “Honestly, the people that he knew, he was just a wonderful, wonderful giving guy. I don’t know if everyone understands how amazing he was.”
News broke in February that Dane died at age 53 after revealing his ALS diagnosis less than one year earlier.
“With heavy hearts, we share that Eric Dane passed on Thursday afternoon following a courageous battle with ALS,” his family said in a statement to Us at the time. “He spent his final days surrounded by dear friends, his devoted wife and his two beautiful daughters, Billie and Georgia, who were the center of his world.”
The statement continued, “Throughout his journey with ALS, Eric became a passionate advocate for awareness and research, determined to make a difference for others facing the same fight. He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered always. Eric adored his fans and is forever grateful for the outpouring of love and support he’s received. The family has asked for privacy as they navigate this impossible time.”
During the Sunday, March 15, awards show, Dane was noticeably missing from the tribute to those who have died in the past year.
A source later told Us Weekly that the Academy “receives hundreds of requests to include loved ones and industry colleagues” to be featured during the emotional segment. To narrow down the many requests, an “executive committee” is formed with members that represent every branch of the Academy.
The insider noted that the committee members review the list and make “recommendations for the telecast based on limited available time.” For those who are not recognized during the live awards show, their names appear on the Oscars’ website with all submissions included for the duration of the year. (Us reached out to the Academy for comment.)
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