9 stars left out of the 2026 Emmys In Memoriam, from Robert Redford to Nicholas Brendon
The 78th Primetime Emmy Awards set aside several moments to remember television industry figures who died over the past year. Catherine O’Hara received a tribute from Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy, while Sally Field introduced Reba McEntire for a tribute to Dolly Parton. Jamie Lee Curtis later remembered Rob Reiner and also acknowledged television director James Burrows. Noah Kahan performed Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ during the main In Memoriam reel, which included James Van Der Beek, Tim Curry, Hayden Panettiere, Eric Dane, Anthony Head and several others. However, the televised tribute could not include every name.
The Television Academy said its broadcasts only have a few minutes for the segment and publishes a more extensive memorial online. Several recognizable actors and voice performers were still absent from the Emmy telecast, prompting discussion after the ceremony. Here are eight stars who were left out of the televised 2026 Emmys In Memoriam.
1. Robert Redford
Robert Redford was not included in the televised In Memoriam after his death on September 16, 2025, two days after the previous year’s Primetime Emmys. Although much of his career was associated with film, television played a role at both ends of his career. Redford appeared on shows including ‘Perry Mason’, ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘The Alfred Hitchcock Hour’ early in his career. He later served as a producer on AMC’s ‘Dark Winds’ and made an uncredited appearance alongside George R.R. Martin in the show’s Season 3 premiere in 2025.
2. Nicholas Brendon
Nicholas Brendon’s absence stood out, as ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ was represented elsewhere during the ceremony. Brendon played Xander Harris throughout the series and died on March 20, 2026, at age 54. His ‘Buffy’ co-star Anthony Head was included in the In Memoriam reel. Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz also reunited onstage earlier in the ceremony to mark the show’s 30th anniversary, where they referred to the losses suffered by the ‘Buffy’ cast and crew over the previous two years without naming Brendon directly.
3. Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris was also left out of the televised segment following his death in March, 2026, at age 86. His television career was anchored by ‘Walker, Texas Ranger’, in which he played Cordell Walker. The CBS action series ran for 196 episodes between 1993 and 2001. Norris also worked across other television projects during his career, making his absence from the broadcast one of the omissions noted after the ceremony.
4. Daveigh Chase
Daveigh Chase was not featured in the televised memorial after her death in June, 2026, at age 35. Chase was known to film audiences for voicing Lilo in ‘Lilo & Stitch’ and for playing Samara Morgan in ‘The Ring’, but she also had several television credits. She reprised the role of Lilo in ‘Lilo & Stitch: The Series’ and appeared in shows including ‘Big Love’, ‘Charmed’ and ‘Oliver Beene’. Her television work also included voice roles in animated projects.
5. Patrick Muldoon
Patrick Muldoon, who died in April at age 57, was another name absent from the broadcast. Muldoon was known for playing Austin Reed on the NBC soap ‘Days of Our Lives.’ He first joined the series in the 1990s and later returned to the role. Muldoon also appeared in several television movies and series alongside film roles such as ‘Starship Troopers’.
6. Grizz Chapman
Grizz Chapman was also among the performers not included in the televised In Memoriam segment. The ‘30 Rock’ performer was one of the names missing from the broadcast. Chapman was associated with the NBC comedy, adding another television performer to the list of omissions noted following the ceremony. Unlike some of the stars who received dedicated tributes or appeared in the main reel, Chapman was not shown during the televised remembrance.
7. Jaye P. Morgan
Jaye P. Morgan was left out of the televised In Memoriam following her death in August, 2026, at age 94. Morgan began her career as a singer before becoming a regular presence on television. She became known to another generation of viewers as a panelist on ‘The Gong Show’ during the 1970s. Morgan also appeared on several variety and game shows during her television career.
8. Peter Cullen
Peter Cullen was not shown during the telecast after his death in August, 2026, at age 85. Cullen spent decades working in television animation and was associated with the voice of Optimus Prime in the ‘Transformers’ franchise. His television credits stretched across multiple animated series, including several ‘Transformers’ productions. Cullen also voiced Eeyore in various ‘Winnie the Pooh’ projects during his career.
9. Tom Kane
Voice actor Tom Kane was another omission from the televised memorial. Kane died in May 2026, at age 64, after a career that included work across animation, video games and film. He voiced Yoda in ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ and also worked on series including ‘The Powerpuff Girls’. His television voice credits spanned several decades and included characters across the ‘Star Wars’ franchise.
The In Memoriam segment remains one of the parts of the Emmys that draws attention to both the names included and those missing from the broadcast. With only limited airtime available, the televised reel does not represent the Television Academy’s full memorial list. Still, the absence of performers such as Redford, Brendon and Norris stood out due to their television work and, in Brendon’s case, the other ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ connections featured during the same ceremony.
