The Emmys In Memoriam pays tribute to major television and entertainment figures who have recently passed away and this year it featured Ozzy Osbourne, Vince Gill and other stars
Fans of Gene Hackman were left fuming after the Hollywood legend was omitted from the In Memoriam segment at the 2025 Emmy Awards on Sunday night.
Hackman, 95, died in February after a journey with Alzheimer’s disease. However, the veteran actor was not featured in the Emmy tribute which honours major television and entertainment figures who have recently passed away. The montage was played during the ceremony in Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles, and included nods to the likes of Vince Gill, Lainey Wilson, Ozzy Osbourne and David Lynch.
Viewers were puzzled – and outraged – at the omission of Hackman, as well as other major stars, such as Jonathan Joss, Connie Francis and Val Kilmer. They took to X, which was known as Twitter, to express their ire.
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One fan asked: “Where was Gene Hackman in the In Memoriam?” Another posted: “Did they leave out Gene Hackman? Ugh.” A third said: “Did I miss GENE HACKMAN? Was he included?” A further tweet stated: “Only turned it on to see the In Memoriam and they left out way too many people.”
While he wasn’t part of the broadcast tribute, Hackman is part of a more comprehensive list of fallen stars on the Emmy’s website. Other actors, including Polly Holliday and Graham Greene, are on that list.
But Hackman had an extensive career, which included significant TV credits such as the 1965 series I Spy. He won two BAFTAs and three Golden Globe Awards, including a latter for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role in The Royal Tenenbaums in 2002.
The performer, born in San Bernardino, California, was also in blockbusters, such as Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and The French Connection (1971), and is considered one of the greatest actors of his generation and had a career that spanned over four decades.
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Hackman and classical pianist wife Betsy Arakawa, 65, were found dead and partially mummified in their Santa Fe mansion in February. It was revealed Arakawa had died from Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS) in their bathroom days before Hackman passed.
Arakawa also had fluid accumulation in her chest and mild hardening of the vessels that supplied blood to the heart and body at the time of her death, per her autopsy report obtained by The Associated Press.
Arakawa tested negative for COVID-19 and the flu and showed no signs of trauma. She tested positive for caffeine and negative for alcohol and intoxicating drugs. Her carbon monoxide levels were within a normal range.