Oscars reunited Rob Reiner supergroup of 17 stars for emotional tribute: Here's who appeared on stage
Oscars reunited Rob Reiner supergroup of 17 stars for emotional tribute: Here's who appeared on stage
Joey NolfiMon, March 16, 2026 at 1:24 AM UTC
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Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, John Cusack, and Daphne ZunigaCredit: Rich Polk/Penske Media via Getty
Emotions ran high during Sunday night's Oscars, as Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal, Demi Moore, Kathy Bates, Christopher Guest, and more stars from Rob Reiner's various projects reunited for a powerful tribute to the beloved When Harry Met Sally director.
Three months after the lauded filmmaker and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, died in an apparent homicide at their California home, Crystal took the Academy Awards stage to introduce the In Memoriam segment, which kicked off with a tribute to the director's life and impact on Hollywood.
After Crystal listed off a roster of projects Reiner helmed over the years, a collective of actors who've appeared in his works made their way to the stage, holding hands as the audience applauded.
Included in the presentation were stars from Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, Misery, The American President, The Sure Thing, and A Few Good Men (which earned Reiner his one and only Oscar nomination as a producer).
Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner at 'SNL50'Credit: John Nacion/Variety via Getty
Individuals who appeared on stage included Crystal, Ryan, Moore, Bates, Guest, Michael McKean, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Pollak, Annette Bening, John Cusack, and Daphne Zuniga.
Reiner and his wife were found dead on December 14, 2025. Their youngest son, Nick Reiner, was eventually charged with two counts of first-degree murder in connection with their deaths. He recently pleaded not guilty.
Sunday's Oscars tribute came days after Entertainment Weekly confirmed that Corey Feldman, the former child star who appeared in the director's popular project Stand By Me, was "furious" upon discovering that he wouldn't be included in the tribute.
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"I JUST WANT 2 BRIEFLY MENTION THIS WHOLE OSCARS THING! YES ITS TRUE THAT I WAS NOT INVITED, I UNDERSTAND MANY BELIEVE ITS DUE 2 BEING OUTSPOKEN ABOUT THE ABUSE I SUFFERED AS A CHILD & THE CAMPAIGN 2 SILENCE ME," Feldman later alleged on social media, referencing his years of outspoken support for survivors of sexual abuse, which he said he previously experienced in his career.
Following Reiner's death, waves of tributes poured in across Hollywood, including from those he worked with and many who were inspired by his artistry on the big screen.
His longtime friend and 2026 Academy Awards host Conan O'Brien honored Reiner in a February interview with The New Yorker.
"I knew Rob and Michele, and then increasingly got closer and closer to them, and I was seeing them a lot," he told the publication. "My wife and I were seeing them a lot, and they were so — they were just such lovely people. And to have that experience of saying good night to somebody and having them leave and then find out the next day that they're gone. … I think I was in shock for quite a while afterward."
Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Jerry O'Connell, Wil Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga speak onstage during the 98th Oscars at Dolby TheatreCredit: Kevin Winter/Getty
On the awards circuit, Golden Globes host Nikki Glaser closed the 2026 ceremony in January with a sweet tribute to Reiner, wearing a black cap bearing the logo of the titular band at the center of Reiner's 1984 comedy, This Is Spinal Tap.
"Well, that's our show. This one went to 11," Glaser said, referencing a signature scene in the comedy film, which saw Reiner play doc filmmaker Marty DiBergi, who interviewed guitarist Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest) about an amplifier with a volume level that goes to 11 instead of 10.
As an actor, Reiner won two Emmys for his supporting performance in the sitcom All in the Family.
on Entertainment Weekly
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