Viewers of the 2025 Emmy Awards on Sunday night reacted with anger and disbelief after the televised "In Memoriam" segment did not include footage of Gene Hackman, the two-time Academy Award winner who died earlier this year at 95.
The tribute, which featured Vince Gill and Lainey Wilson performing Gill's "Go Rest High on That Mountain," honored a range of television and entertainment figures. The broadcast included images or clips of names such as David Lynch, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, George Wendt, Quincy Jones, Dame Maggie Smith and Chuck Woolery, and also noted crossover figures like Ozzy Osbourne, remembered both as a rock star and for his role in the reality series The Osbournes.
Social media users on X (formerly Twitter) were quick to call out the omission, posting questions and exclamations such as "Where was Gene Hackman in the In Memoriam?" and "Did they leave out Gene Hackman? Ugh." Many noted Hackman's television credits, including the 1965 series I Spy, as well as his celebrated film work in Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The French Connection (1971). Other viewers likewise criticized the broadcast for leaving out a range of other figures; names mentioned by viewers included Hulk Hogan, Val Kilmer, Tony Todd and Connie Francis among several others.
The Television Academy's broadcast did not include Hackman in the on-air montage, but the organization’s more comprehensive memorial list on the Emmys website does include his name. The Academy has said in past years that time constraints mean the televised tribute cannot feature every person listed on its online roll.
Hackman and his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead in their Santa Fe, New Mexico, home in February. Local authorities said the couple's bodies were partially mummified when discovered. Subsequent investigations determined Arakawa died first, around Feb. 12, of respiratory symptoms caused by hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, a rare but sometimes fatal disease transmitted by rodents. Arakawa's autopsy report released earlier this year said she had fluid accumulation in her chest and mild hardening of the vessels that supplied blood to the heart and body; she tested negative for COVID-19 and the flu and showed no signs of trauma.
Hackman tested negative for hantavirus, and his autopsy listed chronic illnesses and medical interventions. The final report noted a history of congestive heart failure, severe atherosclerotic and hypertensive cardiovascular disease, placement of coronary artery stents, a bypass graft and a previous aortic valve replacement. The examination identified remote myocardial infarctions and microscopic findings consistent with advanced-stage Alzheimer's disease. Authorities have not suggested foul play in the deaths.
Hackman's acting career spanned more than four decades and included stage, television and film work. He won Academy Awards for best actor and supporting actor and was widely regarded as one of his generation's most accomplished performers. Fans and industry observers said the absence of his image in the televised memorial underscored long-standing tensions around how awards shows and other ceremonies allocate limited tribute time while attempting to acknowledge a wide array of contributors to television and entertainment.
The Emmy Awards broadcast continued after the tribute with its scheduled programming. The Television Academy maintains the full In Memoriam list on its website for public reference, and viewers seeking a broader record of those remembered at this year's ceremony can consult that online roll.