Eric Dane’s Wife Was Sad The Oscars In Memoriam Skipped Him, But Shonda Rhimes Had A Different Take
The 2026 Oscars have come and gone, with a number of filmmakers awarded for their work over the last year. Additionally, the In Memoriam segment honored the many actors, directors, and film professionals that we lost. While the ceremony gave special love to folks like Rob Reiner and Diane Keaton, a few figures were noticeably missing. That includes late actor Eric Dane, although both his wife Rebecca Gayheart and Shonda Rhimes have responded to this snub.
The Academy Awards’ In Memoriam always leave some folks out, and this year they failed to honor both Dane and James Van Der Beek after their deaths. Some fans took umbrage with this, and now we have an idea about how those who knew the late Grey’s Anatomy star are responding.
How Rebecca Gayheart Reportedly Feels
Eric Dane and Rebeca Gayheart were married for over 21 years, although the Jawbreaker icon did file for divorce (and later withdrew the request after his ALS diagnosis). So how did she feel about her husband not being included in the Academy Awards’ In Memoriam segment this year? A source who is allegedly close to Gayheart spoke to TMZ, claiming she was “saddened” to see him left out. Although the family also reportedly understands, as they put it:
It was a year of profound loss for the industry.
The In Memoriam definitely proved that. Whether it was Rob Reiner’s death or the recent passing of Catherine O’Hara, there were a ton of names to honor throughout the In Memoriam segment. And Eric Dane was included on the Academy website… even if he didn’t make it onto the telecast. Since Dane and Van Der Beek were best known for their work on TV, smart moneys says they’ll be heavily featured in the next Emmy Awards.
How Does Shonda Rhimes Feel About Dane’s Oscars Snub?
Another major figure has also weighed in on Dane not being featured: Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes. She worked with the late actor for years, resulting in Mark Sloan aka McSteamy being one of the most beloved characters in the show’s history. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, the TV mogul said:
Well, he’s not a movie star, you know? And I feel like when the Emmys come around, he will be [immortalized] the way he should be. We can’t fault the Oscars for the fact that they’re looking at movies. And there were so many people who were lost, but Eric was unique to television and I can’t wait to see what they do with him [at the Emmys].
Despite knowing Dane, it sounds like Rhimes understands why he didn’t appear during the Oscars telecast’s In Memoriam. While the late actor has a number of movie roles such as X-Men: The Last Stand, Burslesque, and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, he is best known for being a TV star. Now if the Emmys leave him out, that’ll be another story entirely.
Luckily for Eric Dane’s fans, he’s got some posthumous roles coming, including Euphoria Season 3, which premiers April 12th as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Given his legacy on TV and film, smart money says folks are going to be watching his appearance as Cal Jacobs even more closely.
