The Emmy Awards’ In Memoriam segment paid tribute to late entertainers including Ozzy Osbourne, Dame Maggie Smith and Michelle Trachtenberg on Sunday night, but the televised roll call prompted an outcry from viewers who said several prominent names were omitted.
The emotional package, which ran during the live telecast, displayed clips and photos of performers and industry figures who died in the past year. Social media users reacted quickly, posting that they had expected other well-known figures to be included and expressing disappointment that those individuals did not appear in the montage.
Beyond the memorial segment, Sunday’s ceremony distributed major honors across drama, limited series and comedy categories. The Pitt won the Emmy for outstanding drama series while Noah Wyle took home the award for lead actor in a drama series for his role in The Pitt, marking his first Emmy in that category. Cristin Milioti won for lead actress in a limited or anthology series for her work on The Penguin, and the limited series Adolescence claimed top prizes in its category.
In comedy, The Studio earned the Emmy for best comedy series. Seth Rogen received the award for directing a comedy series for his work on The Studio, and the show also brought home other creative honors. The Traitors won for best reality competition program, and The Late Show With Stephen Colbert was named outstanding talk series.
Presenters and winners used acceptance speeches throughout the night to note collaborators and the casts and crews behind the nominated programs. Several winners appeared visibly emotional onstage; Cristin Milioti was described as tearful after accepting her award, and Noah Wyle celebrated a milestone Emmy for his dramatic performance.
Viewers’ objections to the In Memoriam omissions echoed a familiar pattern at awards shows, where time limits and editorial decisions mean not every person who died during the eligibility period is shown. The Television Academy did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the selection process or on specific names left out of the televised segment.
The ceremony, which honored television work across broadcast and streaming platforms, also recognized achievements in writing and directing, with winners spanning established franchises and newer dramas. The telecast blended moments of remembrance with the presentation of the year’s competitive awards, and the reaction on social platforms underscored how the public continues to scrutinize which figures are included in televised memorials.
Organizers of awards shows traditionally face the logistical challenge of balancing full recognition with broadcast time constraints. The debate over who is included in In Memoriam segments has periodically resurfaced at major industry ceremonies, prompting discussions among viewers and members of the industry about how best to honor those who have died.
Producers and Academy representatives have in past years said choices for televised tributes reflect a combination of eligibility windows, editorial curation and time limitations. As the conversation around Sunday’s telecast circulated online, some social media users called for clearer explanations of how names are selected for the In Memoriam segment, while others praised the tributes that did appear.
The Emmy broadcast also featured performances, montages and speeches highlighting a wide range of television achievements. Winners and nominees from the evening will continue to be discussed in the days ahead as critics, viewers and industry members assess the awards and the memorial choices that drew the most attention during the telecast.