Who’s missing from Emmy 2026 in memoriam? Chuck Norris, Nicholas Brendon, more
Emmy’s In Memoriam skipped some heavy-hitter actors and executives — omissions that’ll raise eyebrows.
When the Emmys rolled its annual In Memoriam montage, several recent losses many viewers expected to see were not included — despite significant TV ties and, in some cases, very recent passings.
- Chuck Norris — Walker, Texas Ranger
- Nicholas Brendon — Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Daveigh Chase — voice of Chihiro in the English dub of Spirited Away
- Patrick Muldoon
- Jaye P. Morgan — singer and actress
- Grizz Chapman
The Academy typically explains that the on-air tribute has a tight runtime, which can force painful choices. Still, skipping names as prominent as Norris and Brendon stood out in a year marked by multiple high-profile TV losses.
- Nicholas Brendon died March 20, 2026, at 54
- Chuck Norris died March 19, 2026
- Daveigh Chase died June 16, 2026
- Patrick Muldoon died April 2026 at 57
- Grizz Chapman died May 2026
Some omissions may be acknowledged elsewhere: names not shown in the broadcast are often listed on the TV Academy’s website, which maintains a longer memorial roll.
This isn’t new. Last year’s ceremony drew similar pushback when its segment skipped several recognizable figures:
- Hulk Hogan
- Polly Holliday
- Tony Todd
Who was honored
The telecast devoted a spotlight to Catherine O’Hara, with her Schitt’s Creek “children” Annie Murphy and Dan Levy leading the remembrance onstage, joined by her Home Alone co-star Macaulay Culkin.
Catherine O’Hara died January 30, 2026.
Dolly Parton was honored during the segment as well, alongside filmmaker and actor Rob Reiner. The show made room for more individual tributes than in previous years, even as the montage’s limited length left other names out.
An expanded list of industry figures remembered this awards year appears on the TV Academy’s memorial page for those not seen during the TV broadcast.