This year’s Academy Awards featured an extended in memoriam section to honour Hollywood figures who died over the past year. However, several notable names were omitted, including French cinema icon Brigitte Bardot, who died in December at age 91.
Bardot, star of films such as And God Created Woman and Contempt, later became an animal rights activist and embraced far-right politics. Her inclusion at the César awards in February was met with boos and shouts of “racist”, leading to speculation that the Oscars organisers left her out for that reason.
Other omitted figures include Indian actor Dharmendra, who had a 65-year career in over 300 Hindi films, and Bud Cort, best known for Harold and Maude. TV stars James Van Der Beek and Eric Dane, who also appeared in films, were not included, nor was British actor Prunella Scales, famed for roles in Howards End and The Boys from Brazil.
Those honoured included Robert Duvall, Val Kilmer, Diane Ladd, and UK talents Terence Stamp, Tom Stoppard, and Pauline Collins. Barbra Streisand remembered Robert Redford, Rachel McAdams paid tribute to Diane Keaton and Catherine O’Hara, and Billy Crystal honoured director Rob Reiner.
