Many also felt the whole segment felt more "rushed" than usual.
Every year, without fail, the Academy Awards gets backlash for who the show decides to include and omit from its annual In Memoriam tribute. And this year was no exception.
Introduced by Angela Bassett on Sunday night, the "9-1-1" actress was passionate as she said, "Let us as one community say, thank you, you will remain as we remember you in our hearts always."
The tribute, set to Stevie Wonder's more upbeat "As," seemed faster than usual -- with some of the names hard to even read because of the speed. Among those honored: Sean Connery, Cicely Tyson, Max Von Sydow, Cloris Leachman, Christopher Plummer, Kelly Preston, Chadwick Boseman and, the most recent losses, DMX and Helen McCrory.
Missing, however, were actresses including Naya Rivera -- who, while known for her TV work, did star in "At the Devil's Door," the "Glee" concert movie and voiced Catwoman in an upcoming animated Batman movie -- and Jessica Walter. Though Walter was best known for "Arrested Development" and "Archer," she also won acclaim for her work in films including "Play Misty for Me," "Grand Prix" and "Slums of Beverly Hills."
#Oscars didn't, so I'm doing it.
— celeste ミ☆ (@heyaspetsch) April 26, 2021 @heyaspetsch
IN MEMORIAM OF NAYA RIVERA. pic.twitter.com/qWDoezisFX
IN MEMORIAM OF NAYA RIVERA
— gaby & ana conta de casal (@nayafavs) April 26, 2021 @nayafavs
actress, dancer, singer, mom! #Oscars pic.twitter.com/VOSC2qo8tw
Naya Rivera was left out of the In Memoriam by the @TheAcademy now too. Naya deserves better, and we will remember her forever. ❤️ #Oscars https://t.co/fEomhX6yRq
— Matthew Schmidt (@schmatacus) April 26, 2021 @schmatacus
The In Memorium section of the #Oscars is always rough, but how on earth did they not include Jessica Walter pic.twitter.com/kX1fB9N7l7
— Nate Discavage (@DiscavageSavage) April 26, 2021 @DiscavageSavage
Not including Jessica Walter in the In Memoriam is truly a disgrace.... pic.twitter.com/iAjok90TOx
— Meredith Lee (@meralee727) April 26, 2021 @meralee727
Also MIA from the tribute was Adam Schlesinger, who died of Covid complications at the age of 52 in 2020. Known primarily as a Fountains of Wayne musician, he was nominated for an Academy Award for writing the title track of "That Thing You Do!" He also wrote songs for "Music and Lyrics" and "Ice Age: Continental Drift."
Adam Schlesinger was nominated for an Oscar for writing "That Thing You Do!" in 1997. I don't know why he wasn't in the official In Memoriam segment tonight (especially because he wrote one of the greatest film songs of all time) so I'm honoring him here. #AdamSchlesinger
— Rachel Bloom (@Racheldoesstuff) April 26, 2021 @Racheldoesstuff
Me realizing the In Memoriam segment excluded both Jessica Walter and Adam Schlesinger pic.twitter.com/xA2zwqN969
— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) April 26, 2021 @andizeisler
they left adam schlesinger of fountains of wayne who died last year from covid, and wrote That Thing You Do, one of the best, most beloved songs in modern cinema out of the oscars in memoriam. im forging a pitchfork out of molten steel rn
— hyper relevisation (@Eve6) April 26, 2021 @Eve6
And In Memoriam-Adam Schlesinger who wrote That Thing You Do and for 10 other movies and was nominated for an Academy and a Golden Globe Award. And Nicky Cordero who was in Lilyhammer and lots of cool theater and would have had a fabulous film career. Friends not forgotten.
— Stevie Van Zandt (@StevieVanZandt) April 26, 2021 @StevieVanZandt
Adam Schlesinger tho
— Dave Holmes (@DaveHolmes) April 26, 2021 @DaveHolmes
In addition to the speed and tone of the piece, as well as those left out, the segment was also criticized for coming moments after Glenn Close stole the show by doing "Da Butt" during the telecast. It all only added to the truly chaotic nature of the evening.
See more reactions to the In Memoriam below:
This year’s Oscars In Memoriam played accidentally at podcast 1.5x speed
— Christopher Miller (@chrizmillr) April 26, 2021 @chrizmillr
Oscars producers: I want to play a really upbeat song to get people dancing
— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) April 26, 2021 @SpencerAlthouse
Director: Oh cool. Like for an opening number or something?
Producers: The In Memoriam.
Always a good sign when the in memoriam has to go at the speed of a cd compilation ad
— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) April 26, 2021 @TheDweck
doing best picture right after a 2x speed in memoriam and before best actor/actress is an incredibly bold choice lmfao
— karen han (@karenyhan) April 26, 2021 @karenyhan
The #Oscars jumping from Glenn Close twerking to the In Memoriam pic.twitter.com/ltfuhJRDzK
— Daniel (@theshapeoffilms) April 26, 2021 @theshapeoffilms
The 2021 #Oscars going through the In Memoriam on beat with the peppy song underscoring it
— Benny James (@BennyIsConfused) April 26, 2021 @BennyIsConfused
pic.twitter.com/qxJ4DAbec3
The director to the editors of the "In Memoriam" segment #Oscars pic.twitter.com/PZaUOM03LL
— Julia Ricci (@julsrich) April 26, 2021 @julsrich
Going from Glenn Close doing da butt to the In Memoriam pic.twitter.com/FORAQzYE3Y
— Carrie Courogen (@carriecourogen) April 26, 2021 @carriecourogen