Shonda Rhimes explains exactly why she agrees with Oscars not including Eric Dane in Memoriam

People have been talking a lot about the Academy Awards 2026 after viewers noticed that Eric Dane was missing from the In Memoriam tribute, and now Shonda Rhimes has explained why she actually agrees with the Oscars’ decision.

Eric Dane, best known for playing Dr Mark Sloan in Grey’s Anatomy, died on February 19 at the age of 53 after battling ALS. His death led to loads of tributes online. So when he wasn’t included in the televised segment, people were confused and, in some cases, quite upset.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Shonda Rhimes, who worked closely with Dane on Grey’s Anatomy, shared her thoughts. She first spoke about him on a personal level, saying, “He was a huge loss for us. He was a huge loss for the Shondaland family, for the Grey’s Anatomy family. And honestly the people that he knew, he was just a wonderful giving guy that I don’t know that everybody understands how amazing he was.”

But when asked about the Oscars tribute, she explained, “Well, he’s not a movie star, you know. And I feel like when the Emmys come around he will be, you know, immortalised the way he should be.”

She added, “You can’t fault the Oscars for the fact that they’re looking at movies and there were so many people who are lost but Eric was unique to television and I can’t wait to see what they do with him.”

But people on X were divided

Shonda Rhimes is still in disbelief over Eric Dane's passing, sharing it was a "huge loss" for the Shondaland family. The 'Grey's Anatomy' creator also reacts to the #Oscars leaving Eric out of their In Memoriam segment. pic.twitter.com/YKZky6wUbA

— Entertainment Tonight (@etnow) March 16, 2026

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Some viewers were really unhappy with her take, which they felt came across as dismissive. “What a heartless statement,” one person wrote. Another said, “He’s been in movies. He’s most remembered for TV but that does not remove his accomplishments.TV,”

Others questioned the logic behind the Oscars’ choices more broadly. “He isn’t a movie star but sound editors or lawyers… are?” one person asked.

At the same time, not everyone disagreed. Quite a few people said they actually understood Rhimes’ point. “Two things can be true. He mattered AND this wasn’t his lane,” one person wrote. Another added, “The Emmys are for TV, the Oscars for movies.”

Others brought up the practical side, saying it’s difficult to include everyone in a limited segment. “There will always be someone forgotten,” one person explained.

It’s also worth noting that the Academy does publish a longer In Memoriam list on its website each year, which includes additional names that don’t appear in the live broadcast. Eric Dane has since been included there, alongside a black-and-white photo.

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