Shonda Rhimes has reacted to Eric Dane being left out of the In Memoriam tribute at the 98th Academy Awards.
spoke to rhymes at After attending Vanity Fair’s star-studded Oscar party on Sunday, March 15, where she was asked about Dan’s snub.
Responding to the question, the 56-year-old American television producer and screenwriter said, “Well, he is not a movie star.”
“I think when the Emmys come, he’ll be immortalized like he should be,” he predicted.
Rhimes quipped, “You can’t blame the Oscars for the fact that they’re watching movies, and there were a lot of people who lost. Eric was unique to television and I can’t wait to see what they (the Emmys) do with him.”
It’s worth mentioning that the In Memoriam montage at the 2026 Oscars paid tribute to stars like Billy Crystal, Rob Reiner and his wife, Michelle Singer Reiner.
Several celebrities who have worked with Renner also appeared in the video, after which Rachel McAdams gave a speech about Catherine O’Hara and Diane Keaton.
Finally, Barbra Streisand’s performance to honor Robert Redford was also part of Sunday’s ceremony.
For those unaware, Dane passed away at the age of 53 on February 19, 2026 after fighting a long battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a progressive neurodegenerative disease.
gray’s anatomy The star was diagnosed with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease in April 2025.
