Emmys In Memoriam snubs have left fans questioning why several notable television figures were missing from the 2026 tribute. Among the missing names was Chuck Norris, the action star best known for his long-running series Walker, Texas Ranger. His absence, along with several other familiar names, quickly drew attention during the segment honoring television figures who died over the past year.
Chuck Norris, Daveigh Chase and Nicholas Brendon were among the notable names omitted from the 2026 Emmys In Memoriam tribute
Norris, who passed away in March, had a television career spanning decades. He starred in all nine seasons of Walker, Texas Ranger and also appeared in The Goldbergs, Hawaii Five-0 and Sons of Thunder. His television work also extended to animation with his own series, Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos.
Daveigh Chase was another notable omission from the tribute. One of Chase’s friends criticized the Television Academy while speaking to TMZ. “These f**ing Emmys snubbed Daveigh from the In Memoriam. Awful,” the friend said.
Chase, who died this year, began her television career as a child. She appeared in shows including Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Charmed, The Practice, ER, Yes, Dear, That’s Life, Touched by an Angel, Inside Schwartz and The Guardian. She was also widely known for voicing Lilo Pelekai in Lilo & Stitch and playing Samara Morgan in The Ring.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer star Nicholas Brendon was also missing from the segment. Brendon appeared in all 144 episodes of the seven-season series, making his omission particularly noticeable to longtime fans.
Veteran voice actors Peter Cullen and Tom Kane were also among the names reportedly absent from the tribute.
The Emmys’ In Memoriam segment honors performers, creators and other television figures who died over the past year. That purpose made the omissions especially noticeable to viewers and people familiar with their work.
At the same time, the tribute recognized several major figures who died over the past year. The list included Dolly Parton, Hayden Panettiere, Catherine O’Hara and Rob Reiner.
