Rob Reiner received a moving tribute at the Oscars, with stars gathering on stage to honor the late director’s remarkable career. The moment celebrated his enduring impact on the film industry and the countless lives he’s touched, while highlighting the stories and performances that have made his work unforgettable.

Billy Crystal Led The Rob Reiner Tribute

On March 15, the Academy Awards paid a tribute to Reiner, led by his longtime friend and “When Harry Met Sally” star, Billy Crystal.

Crystal began the 4-minute tribute by saying he met the director in 1975 on the set of the sitcom “All in the Family,” where he played the role of Reiner’s character’s best friend. The actor then went on to mention some of the director’s most notable films, while stills from the movies were shown.

“Rob’s movies will last for lifetimes, because they were about what makes us laugh and cry, and what we aspire to be far better in his eyes: far kinder, far funnier, and far more human,” Crystal noted.

“To the millions who have enjoyed his films all these years, I want you to know, here and around the world, how many times Rob told me that it meant everything to him, that his work meant something to you — and for us who had the privilege of working with and knowing him and loving him,” Crystal concluded.

The Academy’s Tribute To Michele Singer Reiner

In the segment, Crystal also honored Reiner’s wife, Michele Singer Reiner, who was a producer and professional photographer. The couple married in 1989 after meeting on the set of “When Harry Met Sally,” and as Crystal noted, their partnership was “unstoppable.”

“It was her energy that had them working tirelessly to fight social injustice in the country that they both loved. Rob and Michele Reiner became the driving force in the landmark decision for marriage equality across the United States,” Crystal said.

Per Inside Philanthropy, the Reiners co-founded the American Foundation of Equal Rights (AFER) in 2009. AFER led the effort to fight against Proposition 8, a California ballot initiative passed in 2008 to ban same-sex marriage. In 2013, a Supreme Court decision restored marriage equality in California, setting the stage for the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015.

The 17 Stars Who Paid Tribute To Rob And Michele Reiner

Toward the end of the tribute, 16 actors and actresses from Reiner’s movies joined Crystal on stage to honor the beloved director. They held hands and took a moment of silence while the audience stood from their seats and applauded.

The list of stars included Crystal and Meg Ryan (When Harry Met Sally), Christoper Guest and Michael McKean (This is Spinal Tap), Jerry O’Connell and Will Wheaton (Stand by Me), Kathy Bates (Misery), Carol Kane, Mandy Patinkin, Carey Elwes, and Fred Savage (Princess Bride), John Cusack and Daphne Zuniga (The Sure Thing), Annette Bening (The American President), and Demi Moore, Keifer Sutherland, and Kevin Pollack (A Few Good Men).

Advertisement

After a heartfelt round of applause, the stars on stage turned their gazes toward the photo of the Reiners projected on the screen as the lights dimmed.

Corey Feldman Claimed He Wasn’t Invited To The Tribute

Reiner has worked with plenty of actors throughout his decades-long career, and Corey Feldman spoke about not being contacted to join the Oscars tribute. Feldman was one of the lead characters in “Stand By Me,” alongside O’Connell and Wheaton, who attended the tribute, and River Phoenix, who passed away in 1993.

According to The Blast, Feldman was reportedly “devastated” over not being included, especially since Reiner has been outspoken about how “Stand By Me” and the late director were influential in his career.

In March, Feldman confirmed via X that he was not invited. “I understand many believe it’s due to being outspoken about the abuse I suffered as a child and the campaign to silence me. However, this isn’t about me. It’s not my moment at all. It’s about the tragic loss of our friend Rob Reiner and his memory,” he wrote.

Rob And Michele Reiner’s Deaths

The couple was discovered deceased in their Los Angeles home on December 14, 2025. Their cause of death was determined to be multiple stab wounds, and their son, Nick, was arrested.

Nick was charged with two counts of first-degree murder and pleaded not guilty in February. He is currently being held without bail and is scheduled to return to court on April 29 for a preliminary hearing. According to reports, if convicted, Nick faces the possibility of life in prison without parole or the death penalty.

Advertisement

Published Mar 16, 2026, 7:01 AM EDT

Advertisement

Pi Day was Saturday (3/14), but instead of testing your pie knowledge, we’re going to go a different culinary route. How much of a Bear Buff are you?

Image via Matt Dinerstein – © 2022, FX Networks

Chloé Zhao spoke publicly for the first time about the cancellation of her Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot.

During a red carpet interview with Variety at the 2026 Oscars on Sunday, March 15, Zhao, 43, reflected on Hulu’s unfortunate decision after creating the reboot’s pilot and preparing to direct and executive produce Buffy the Vampire Slayer: New Sunnydale.

“I had an incredible, incredible time with Sarah [Michelle Gellar], with all the cast and crew doing this. And we, first and foremost, see ourselves as the guardians of the original show,” Zhao told the outlet. “Our priority for Sarah and for us has always been to be truthful to the show, to be truthful to our fans. So, things happen for a reason, and we keep our hearts open and we welcome the mystery, and what this might lead us to.”

The outlet then asked whether Zhao, who was nominated for a best director Academy Award for her work on Hamnet but missed out to One Battle After Another’s Paul Thomas Anderson, would shop the project “to other distributors.”

Related: Sarah Michelle Gellar Breaks Silence on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ Revival

Handout/Getty Images Earlier this week, Us Weekly confirmed the cult classic television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer was in talks for a revival, and now, Sarah Michelle Gellar who played the titular role of Buffy Summers more than 20 years ago, is breaking her silence. Gellar, who has been adamantly against a reboot for years, confirms […]

Zhao cryptically responded, “Welcome the mystery.”

Gellar, 48, announced in an Instagram video on Saturday, March 14, that Hulu decided “not to move forward” with the reboot, which would have seen her reprise her role as Buffy Summers from the WB’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The original series aired from 1997 to 2003.

“So I am really sad to have to share this, but I wanted you all to hear it from me – unfortunately Hulu has decided not to move forward with Buffy: New Sunnydale,” Gellar, 48, said. “I want to thank Chloé Zhao because I never thought I would find myself back in Buffy’s stylish yet affordable boots, and thanks to Chloé I was reminded how much I love her and how much she means not only to me but to all of you.”

Zhao responded directly to Gellar’s announcement, writing, “Grateful for you, always” alongside a tearful smiley face emoji in the comments section.

Fans were quick to pick up on the stars’ interaction, sharing support for the project and also urging Zhao to find a Hulu alternative. “@chloezhao We believe in you! Please keep shopping it around! Buffy fans will support you to the ends of the earth!,” one fan wrote in response to Zhao’s comment.

Us Weekly confirmed in February 2025 that Gellar would once again step into Buffy’s shoes, noting that she would star alongside a new vampire slayer portrayed by Ryan Kiera Armstrong.

Gellar told Us at the time, “It’s incredibly emotionally overwhelming. It’s just a place I didn’t know that I would find myself. While it was new, it was also incredibly familiar, and I feel very lucky.”

Armstrong, 16, spoke about the project’s cancellation hours after Gellar’s announcement, taking to her own Instagram to reflect on fan support.

“I wanted to come on here and say thank you for all of the support that you guys have given me and this show throughout the last couple months. It’s been really special,” she said in a video. “I also want to say thank you to all the fans who believed in this new chapter, and who believed in me, so thank you guys. Thank you to the cast I worked with. You guys are awesome.”

While nearly all of the past Bachelorettes reunited ahead of Taylor Frankie Paul’s season 22, a few leading ladies were noticeably missing — and still showed their support with a sweet virtual message.

“There are some people who couldn’t be here, so I have something to show you,” Trista Sutter explained to Taylor in The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose, which aired on Sunday, March 15, before playing clips from her phone.

“Hi Taylor, it’s Jillian Harris here. I’m so happy for you,” season 5 lead Jillian Harris said. “Here’s some advice. I didn’t shave my legs on the very first date and we ended up having a pool party and I ended up on Jason Mesnick’s shoulders with hairy legs, so shave your legs and embrace the moment. Good luck, and I’m sending you tons of love from Canada.”

Trista began laughing as Taylor put her hand over her face and smiled. “Hi Taylor, it’s Jenn. I’m so sorry I couldn’t be there today with you,” season 21’s Jenn Tran said, while the Eiffel Tower was visible in the background of her video. “I’m so excited for you. In those moments where I was really pushed past my limits, that was when I discovered some of the most beautiful things about myself. And trust your heart, as cliche as that sounds.”

Related: 18 Out of 24 Bachelorettes to Reunite on ABC Special — Who’s Missing?

Taylor Frankie Paul will kick off her Bachelorette journey with a slew of former leads in her corner. Eighteen of the popular reality dating show’s alums will reunite on The Bachelorette: Before the First Rose, airing on ABC and Hulu on Sunday, March 15, one week before Taylor’s season 22 premiere. “It was crazy,” Joan […]

Trista and 17 former leads — Meredith Phillips, DeAnna Pappas, Ali Fedotowsky-Manno, Ashley Hebert-Rosenbaum, Emily Maynard-Johnson, Desiree Siegfried, Andi Dorfman-Hart, Kaitlyn Bristowe, JoJo Fletcher, Rachel Lindsay, Becca Kufrin, Hannah Brown-Woolard, Tayshia Adams, Katie Thurston, Rachel Recchia, Charity Lawson and Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos — surprised Taylor in the Bachelor Mansion the night of her first rose ceremony.

The group fittingly showed up in matching red, monogrammed sweat sets, which Kaitlyn explained it is because they know “Taylor likes her sweatpants.”

“I’m so excited to welcome her into the sisterhood of The Bachelorette,” Trista said in a confessional. “I’m here with Kaitlyn, Rachel and Ashley and DeAnna and Desiree. Joan is here. We’ve got almost all of us.”

Jen Schefft (season 3), Clare Crawley (season 16), Michelle Young (season 18) and Gabby Windey (season 19) were seemingly absent. Ahead of the reunion, Clare explained why she decided to skip returning to the iconic mansion.

Advertisement

Related: Trista Sutter, Kaitlyn Bristowe, and More Former Bachelorettes Reunite

Former Bachelorettes Trista Sutter, Kaitlyn Bristowe, Rachel Lindsay and more have reunited for a fun get together. The reality stars, who each found fame as the leading ladies on their respective Bachelorette seasons, appeared in each other’s social media accounts on Thursday, November 20. Trista, who led the inaugural season of The Bachelorette when it […]

“I was super sick. The producers asked me to come, and I thought about it since it would be nice to see all the ladies,” Clare said in a February Instagram Story, explaining that she changed her mind after allegedly being told “to rehash things from six years ago.” She added, “Hard pass.”

Joan, meanwhile, exclusively told Us Weekly in December 2024 that the reunion was “crazy.”

“It was like, ‘Oh my God.’ I feel like I know them, like, I’ve watched all their seasons, but never met so many of them in person. I’m hopeful for Taylor. She is a genuinely nice human who is unapologetically herself,” Joan said, noting that most of the Bachelorettes are part of a group chat together. “It centers around life events, like, somebody’s pregnant, somebody’s getting married, ‘Happy Thanksgiving’ — just what you send to your close friends. You have this group of people that have done this weird thing that you’ve done. It’s a unique group.”

The Bachelorette season 22 premieres on ABC Sunday, March 22, at 8 p.m. ET and streams the next day on Hulu.

Multiple award winners got bleeped while giving their acceptance speeches at the 2026 Oscars.

The first censored moment of the night came when costume designer Kate Hawley let out a curse word while thanking her family after winning for her work on Frankenstein.

“And my family, who’ve put up with a lot of s*** over the years,” Hawley said while getting bleeped during the live moment.

Later in the evening, Mike Hill also swore while accepting Best Makeup and Hairstyling for Frankenstein.

Related: 2026 Oscars Red Carpet Arrivals: Stars Bring Their Fashion A-Game

The 2026 Oscars red carpet was as glamorous as ever. Thank You! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Enter your email Please enter a valid email. Subscribe By signing up, I agree to the Terms and Privacy Policy and to receive emails from Us Weekly Deal of the Day Taylor Swift’s Exact Kendra Scott […]

Keep scrolling to see who was bleeped during the Oscars:

Kate Hawley

Kate Hawley won for Best Costume Design for Frankenstein. Her speech began with a touching tribute to her team.

“On behalf of myself and the amazing team that I work with — the artisans, the alchemists, the dream weavers — we’re so grateful to The Academy for recognizing our craft,” she said before expressing her gratitude for director Guillermo del Toro. “Thank you for the vision and for taking us on your journey. It’s been a great privilege to be part of it. All our nominations are your nominations. We share this with you.”

Hawley also gave “a big shout-out to our fantastic cast” before thanking her family.

“And my family, who’ve put up with a lot of s*** over the years …” she said, getting bleeped before concluding, “I’m so, so grateful, and thank you very much for recognizing our craft.”

Mike Hill

Mike Hill won for Best Makeup and Hairstyling alongside Jordan Samuel and Cliona Fuery for Frankenstein. Before giving his speech, Hill struggled to get his glasses out of his suit pocket, leading him to swear and get bleeped. After recovering from the moment, Hill spoke from the heart.

“It’s such an honor to be here. Thank you so much,” Hill said. “While we were making this film, we had the sense we were part of something very special, and tonight really confirms that, so thanks.”

Gwendolyn Yates Whittle

Gwendolyn Yates Whittle was one of the winners for Best Sound for F1. She appeared on stage alongside colleagues Gareth John, Al Nelson, Gary A. Rizzo and Juan Peralta. When it was Whittle’s time to speak, she seemingly cursed while attempting to recite from memory. After getting bleeped, she apologized and read from her prepared statement instead.

“Sorry. I’m sorry! Our gratitude goes to our partners, our parents, our children, our grandchildren. Movies are made for you,” she read. “Go see the blockbusters, go see the independents. Be inspired, go with friends, get a fresh point of view.”