Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Oscars: Academy reveals why Cameron Boyce and Luke Perry were excluded from ‘In Memoriam’ tribute

The academy has addressed the controversy after receiving backlash from the late actors’ fans

Annie Lord
Wednesday 12 February 2020 10:08 GMT
Comments
Oscars 2020: round up of the night's events

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

The 2020 Oscars received much criticism after the late actors Cameron Boyce and Luke Perry were left out of the “In Memorium” segment.

In response to the backlash, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences released a statement to Us Weekly explaining their decision.

“The Academy receives hundreds of requests to include loved ones and industry colleagues in the Oscars ‘In Memoriam’ segment," a spokesperson said.

“An executive committee representing every branch considers the list and makes selections for the telecast based on limited available time. All the submissions are included on Oscar.com.”

Boyce was only 20 when he passed away in July from an epilepsy-induced seizure. Fans know him for his roles in Descendents and Grown Ups.

Perry died a few months later, aged 52, following a stroke. He was best known for starring in Riverdale and had appeared in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.

The In Memorium segment of the night was soundtracked by Billie Eilish’s rendition of The Beatles’ “Yesterday”. Tributes were paid to basketball player and Oscar-winner Kobe Bryant and screen legend Kirk Douglas, among others.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in