Viewers at home were left in tears after the aired its tribute to fallen stars on Sunday.
Showbiz
Emotional Tribute to Stars Moves Fans to Tears
Viewers at home were left in tears after the 2026 Actor Awards aired its tribute to fallen stars on Sunday.The In Memoriam segment honored a shocking number of ...
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The In Memoriam segment honored a shocking number of , leading several viewers to remark with astonishment at how many major actors had died in the past year.
Fans were particularly moved by tributes to some of the actors who most recently died, including Dawson's Creek star , who died at 48 on February 11 after a battle with colorectal .
Other viewers were devastated to be reminded of the loss of star , who died at 53 on February 19 following a struggle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
But the In Memoriam segment also reminded people watching at home that some of the biggest stars of the 20th and 21st centuries had died in the past year, including Diane Keaton, , Robert Duvall, , , Catherine O'Hara and , who capped off the somber segment.
After one fan listed some of the biggest stars featured in the segment, one user on X wrote, 'Truly awful. Surreal to see all those names like that in memoriam.'
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Viewers at home were left in tears after the 2026 Actor Awards aired its tribute to fallen stars on Sunday. James Van Der Beek, who died at 48 on February 11 after a battle with colorectal cancer, opened the segment
Other viewers were devastated to be reminded of the loss of Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane , who died at 53 on February 19 following a struggle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease
But the In Memoriam segment also reminded people watching at home that some of the biggest stars of the 20th and 21st centuries had died in the past year, including Diane Keaton, Gene Hackman, Robert Duvall, Rob Reiner, Val Kilmer, Catherine O'Hara and Robert Redford who capped off the somber segment
'The most star-studded In Memoriam I've ever seen. We lost some greats,' wrote another viewer.
'Oh man. That In Memoriam was devastating. We lost so many this past year. Giants, legends, people who were there in character roles and soaps and just always there,' another viewer echoed.
'Watching the In Memoriam from #TheActorAwards I think this could be one of the most prestigious list[s] of actors that have died in a year,' one fan wrote before listing out heavy hitters.
Sinners earned surprise wins in the top categories at the Actor Awards 2026
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Ensemble in a Drama Series: The Pitt
Ensemble in a Comedy Series: The Studio
Male Actor in a Drama Series: Seth Rogen - The Studio
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Female Actor in a Drama Series: Catherine O'Hara - The Studio
Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series: Michelle Williams -
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'It'll take my 5–7 business days to emotionally recover from the in memoriam segment,' one fan joked.
The 32nd Annual Actor Awards, formerly known as the , rolled out at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in on Sunday.
The ceremony officially rebranded as The Actor Awards this year, a move designed to align the show with its iconic statuette 'The Actor', sharpen its global identity and keep the spotlight squarely on performers honoring their peers.
In addition to tributes to mega stars like Diane Keaton, the In Memoriam segment also remembered recently departed actors, including Revenge Of The Nerds star Robert Carradine, who died by suicide
The recently deparated Robert Duvall was among the major names, as was the actor-turned-filmmaker Rob Reiner, whose son Nick Reiner is now on trial for allegedly murdering his mother and father
'It'll take my 5–7 business days to emotionally recover from the in memoriam segment,' one fan joked
Kristen Bell returns to host the Actor Awards - formerly the SAG Awards - for the third time, after emceeing in 2018 and 2025; (pictured February 2025)
The race for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role is stacked with Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, and Jesse Plemons for Bugonia.
The Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role category is equally competitive, featuring Jessie Buckley for Hamnet, Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue and Emma Stone for Bugonia.
In supporting categories, Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn both scored nominations for One Battle After Another, while Jacob Elordi earned recognition for Frankenstein, Paul Mescal for Hamnet, and Miles Caton for Sinners in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role race.
The Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role lineup includes Odessa A’Zion for Marty Supreme, Ariana Grande for Wicked: For Good, Amy Madigan for Weapons, Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners, and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another - a mix of seasoned veterans and exciting newcomers.
The Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category brings ensemble firepower from Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another and Sinners, underscoring just how actor-driven this awards body remains.
Television, meanwhile, has its own battleground.
On the comedy front, The Studio dominated with five nominations, cementing its status as an actors’ favorite.
It will compete for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series alongside Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building.
On the film side, One Battle After Another starring Leonardo DiCaprio leads the pack with seven nominations
Sinners starring Michael B. Jordan racked up five nominations
Individual comedy acting races feature names like Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O’Hara and Seth Rogen from The Studio, Jean Smart for Hacks, Jenna Ortega for Wednesday, Adam Brody for Nobody Wants This, Ted Danson for A Man on the Inside and Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building.
Drama is just as intense. The White Lotus, Severance, The Diplomat, The Pitt and Landman are all nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Acting nods in the drama categories went to performers including Britt Lower, Parker Posey, Keri Russell, Rhea Seehorn, Aimee Lou Wood, Sterling K. Brown, Billy Crudup, Walton Goggins, Gary Oldman and Noah Wyle.
Limited series and television movies continue to prove their awards muscle.
Nominees for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series include Claire Danes for The Beast in Me, Erin Doherty and Christine Tremarco for Adolescence, Sarah Snook for All Her Fault and Michelle Williams for Dying for Sex.
On the male side, Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit, Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham for Adolescence, Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story and Matthew Rhys for The Beast in Me are all in contention.
Yet no awards season is complete without a little controversy.
One of the most talked-about snubs was Cynthia Erivo, who many expected to be nominated for Wicked: For Good but was left off the list.
The Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role category features Jessie Buckley for Hamnet (pictured), Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue and Emma Stone for Bugonia
Cynthia Erivo’s surprising snub from Wicked: For Good dominated conversation, while Ariana Grande secured a nomination
The White Lotus (pictured), Severance, The Diplomat, The Pitt and Landman are all nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
Fans also pointed to the absence of Gwyneth Paltrow and Dwayne Johnson, while others questioned the limited international representation among acting nominees.
Additional omissions, including Sentimental Value on the film side and Death by Lightning in television, fueled further chatter.
Still, there were pleasant surprises that delighted fans, including supporting nominations for Odessa A’Zion (Marty Supreme) and Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), highlighting the breadth of this year’s roster.
Adding gravitas to the evening, Hollywood legend Harrison Ford will receive the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award.
Over a career spanning more than five decades, Ford has anchored some of the biggest franchises in film history, from Star Wars and Indiana Jones to Blade Runner and The Fugitive, cementing his status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable and enduring leading men.
'I am deeply honored to be chosen as this year’s recipient of the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award,' Ford said.
'To be acknowledged by my fellow actors means a great deal to me. I’ve spent most of my life on film sets, working alongside incredible actors and crews, and I’ve always felt grateful to be part of this community.'
And helping represent the next generation is Bridgerton breakout Yerin Ha, who has been tapped as this year’s Ambassador for The Actor Awards.
'Being named The Actor Awards Ambassador is such an honor because this ceremony is about actors celebrating actors,' Ha said.
'There is something uniquely powerful about being recognized within your own community. As someone who cares so deeply about the craft and about collaboration, it means so much to represent the next generation of actors and be part of an event that uplifts storytelling.'
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