The 2026 Primetime Emmys delivered a doozy of an In Memoriam segment during the show on Monday night (Sept. 14.) During a year that’s become especially tough for celebrity deaths, many of the losses mentioned onscreen still felt very raw.
The segment opened with an emotional remembrance of Catherine O’Hara from her best-known on-screen children: Macauley Culkin (who played O’Hara’s son in the Home Alone films) and Annie Murphy and Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek.)
Read More: Remembering the Country Stars Who Died in 2026
“By the way, call your mother tonight. For real,” Culkin reminded the crowd, his voice wavering, during a speech about O’Hara’s impact on his life.
Judging by the misty eyes in the crowd, it seemed like a message many Emmys attendees took to heart.
But the closing speech from Jamie Lee Curtis was perhaps even more tear-jerking: She held back tears as she remembered the late Rob Reiner, a filmmaker and actor who was murdered alongside his wife Michele in December 2025. The couple’s son, Nick Reiner, has been arrested and charged with the killings.
“He was generous and kind and funny as hell,” Curtis said from the stage, her voice cracking with emotion. “And a friend to all. We all miss Rob and Michele, and all those we lost this year.”
In between those two tributes, Noah Kahan sang “Bridge Over Troubled Water” as the names and photos of the stars we lost this year flashed across the screen.
Watch the 2026 Primetime Emmys In Memoriam Segment
Though the Emmys focused on those who worked in television, they honored late stars from across the entertainment industry. Those included performers, behind-the-scenes industry members and writers.
Top of mind for country fans in terms of artists we’ve lost this year is Dolly Parton, and her name and photo were included in the list.
Read More: Reba’s Emmys Tribute Captures What Dolly Parton Meant to Country Music
She also got a special Emmys tribute during another part of the awards show that featured Reba McEntire as well as Parton’s Steel Magnolias co-star Sally Field. McEntire sang “Appalachian Memories,” a song from Parton’s 1983 Burlap & Satin album.
Other country-adjacent stars remembered at the Emmys included Hayden Panettiere and Robert Duvall.
Who Was Left Out of the 2026 Primetime Emmys in Memoriam?
Chuck Norris was perhaps the most glaring omission. The actor and martial artist, known for his roles in Missing in Action, Walker, Texas Ranger and The Way of the Dragon, died in March at the age of 86.
Daveigh Chase, an actor whose breakout role was in The Ring, was omitted; so were Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon and Days of Our Lives star Patrick Muldoon.
Read More: ‘The Gambler’ Songwriter Don Schlitz Dead at 73
Don Schlitz was not included. While he had no acting roles, he wrote Kenny Rogers‘ “The Gambler,” which was featured and used as direct inspiration for the 1980 CBS TV film Kenny Rogers as the Gambler, plus a franchise of subsequent films. Also not included was David Allan Coe, but Coe — despite having several minor acting roles over his career — was primarily known as a country singer and songwriter.
Remembering the Country Stars Who Died in 2026
So far in 2026, country fans have mourned the deaths of country legends and other large-looming figures of pop culture. Keep reading to remember the singers, musicians, actors and other notable figures we’ve lost this year.
Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak
