the executive behind it Oscar Awards telecast has defended the show’s highly-controversial ‘In Memoriam’ session following criticism over the deletion of several stars in the telecast.Rob Mills, executive director of the Oscars broadcast, spoke about the reaction from fans after the live broadcast. This year’s Oscar tribute segment was extended and lasted nearly 15 minutes longer than in previous years. However, the segment still featured a handful of actors and directors and other film talent, and offered a highly personalized tribute to Hollywood legends such as Rob Reiner, Diane Keaton, Catherine O’Hara and Robert Redford.
The ‘In Memoriam’ segment was slammed for omitting names
Despite the extended duration, the names of Hollywood stars Eric Dane, Brigitte Bardot, James Van Der Beek, Malcolm-Jamal Warner and Indian star Dharmendra were left out of the broadcast to appear among the 300 names in the tributes section of the Oscars website.
The Oscars defend the ‘In Memoriam’ part
Speaking to Variety on Monday, Mills responded to the backlash and clarified that decisions about who appears in the segment are ultimately up to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. “It’s hard. I think it’s the hardest thing they can do. It’s always hard when they’re bad at it.”While acknowledging the difficulty of letting names in and out when the film industry continues to lose notable figures every year, he said: “Yes, there are always people left out. Unfortunately, we’re losing more and more people, and especially legendary people every year, so it’s probably the hardest needle to thread.”Despite the criticism, Mills praised the tribute segment this year: “I think what they did last night might have been the best In Memoriam in the history of the Academy Awards.”
Hema Malini reacts to Dharmendra being left out of the Oscars TV clip
Indian star Hema Malini sued the Academy for excluding Dharmendra in the TV segment. He told Bollywood Hungama, “It’s a shame, of course. It’s a shame that they forgot an actor who means so much to so many people in many parts of the world. Dharamji was popular and recognized everywhere. He never got too many awards during his life. Why should the Oscars care? Both of us, we were happy to be loved in our country. But the prize always eluded him.”The ‘In Memoriam’ part of the Oscars is one of the most watched moments and has often sparked debate about what the industry figures are. In recent years, the Academy has introduced an In Memoriam page on its official website for the contribution of actors, directors, musicians, screenwriters and many others in the industry to cinema.
