Chuck Norris left out of Emmy Awards in memoriam, draws rebuke from Judson Mills
Judson Mills is calling out the Emmy Awards for leaving someone out of In Memoriam — and taking a moment to remember the man they overlooked.
In a new interview, Judson Mills said the Emmy Awards made a painful mistake by leaving Chuck Norris out of this year’s In Memoriam segment. Mills, who played Francis Gage opposite Norris in the final two seasons of Walker, Texas Ranger and its TV movie, told TMZ his first thought was for Norris’ widow, Gena O’Kelley, and the family — and added that Norris himself would likely have urged forgiveness over resentment.
“To see him not receive recognition at all and to see the family not receive that recognition was disappointing. It hurt my feelings for sure. He was a legend for God’s sake,”
Norris, who died at 86, was a television fixture for decades, and Mills said the omission felt especially sharp because colleagues often described Norris as someone who never made things about himself. Mills’ comments quickly picked up steam online as fans questioned how a figure that prominent could be skipped during a marquee tribute.
Not just Norris
Norris wasn’t the only name missing. The broadcast also left out several other TV figures — a choice that stood out even more after a Buffy the Vampire Slayer on-stage reunion earlier in the night with Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz.
- Nicholas Brendon — Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Patrick Muldoon — Days of Our Lives
- Jaye P. Morgan — The Gong Show
- Daveigh Chase — The Ring
- Grizz Chapman — 30 Rock
Brendon passed away in his sleep at 54, one day after Norris’ death, making their shared absence land even harder with fans. Chase died in June, Muldoon in April, and Chapman in May, yet none appeared during the televised segment.
According to reports, producers trimmed the list for time, and several of the missing names were instead posted on the Television Academy’s website after the show.