Every year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has an "In Memoriam" segment during the Oscars. Every year, there is uproar over who was left out. This year, fans were upset over the omission of Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek.
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The Academy Defended Its Decision To Omit Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek
There is nothing intentional behind snubbing Dane and Van Der Beek, a source told TMZ.
Apparently, the Academy receives hundreds of requests from industry professionals to include peers and loved ones. An executive committee that represents every branch of the industry makes recommendations for the show.
Additionally, when making their decisions, the show's run time is taken into consideration. To address all the requests, all submissions are added to a list on the Academy's website, which will remain up for a year.
However, Van Der Beek and Dane weren't the only ones left out of the segment. It should be noted that while Van Der Beek had major roles in the films Varsity Blues and The Rules of Attraction, he is best known for his role on the television series Dawson's Creek.
Similarly, Dane has been recognized for roles in X-Men: The Last Stand and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, but he is best known for his role as "McSteamy" on Grey's Anatomy, as well as Euphoria and The Last Ship.
How Did Eric Dane and James Van Der Beek Die?
Dane died in late February at the age of 53 due to complications from ALS, a disease he was diagnosed with last year. He became an advocate for researching a cure for ALS.
We reported about how he opened up about his diagnosis and also his unwillingness to let it define him.
"I wake up every day, and I'm immediately reminded that this is happening," he said. "It's not a dream. I don't think this is the end of my story. I don't feel like this is the end of me."
Several weeks before Dane's death, it was announced that Van Der Beek had died at age 48 from complications related to colorectal cancer. Like Dane, he became an advocate for awareness of the disease that took his life.
