The Academy Awards are, for the most part, a happy, celebratory occasion. But for a few minutes every year, the revelry is put on hold so Hollywood can pay tribute to those in the industry who’ve died in the 12 months since the last Oscars. The 2014 In Memoriam segment on Sunday, March 2, honored stars including Philip Seymour Hoffman, James Gandolfini, Paul Walker, and Harold Ramis — but also left out a few notable names.
The segment began with a series of pictures projected onto the screen above the stage at L.A.’s Dolby Theatre. Several actors, actresses, cinematographers, writers, and other Hollywood icons were recognized — among them, Peter O’Toole, Annette Funicello, Richard Griffiths, Shirley Temple Black, and Roger Ebert.
Noticeably missing from the list, however, were Cory Monteith and Sarah Jones. Monteith — who died in July at age 31 — was best known for his work on TV, as Glee‘s Finn Hudson, but also had roles in movies such as Monte Carlo and the upcoming McCanick. Camera assistant Jones, meanwhile, was killed at age 27 on Feb. 20 while working on Midnight Rider.
Prior to the ceremony, mourners created an online petition to urge the Academy to include Jones in its annual in Memoriam segment. When her name failed to appear on screen, Twitter blew up with angry fans. Minutes later — after Bette Midler took the stage to perform “Wind Beneath My Wings” — Jones’ name and photo flashed across the bottom of the screen in a banner directing viewers to the full In Memoriam gallery on the Oscars website.
Both Monteith and Jones were included in the online tribute, which featured more than 100 film industry standouts.
Tell Us: Do you think Cory Monteith and Sarah Jones should have been included in the main In Memoriam segment?
