Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney Darth Vader at the European premiere of "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker."
The Oscars “In Memoriam” video at the 93rd Academy Awards on April 25 snubbed two “Star Wars” legends who died in 2021.
While the “In Memoriam” video for the 2021 Oscars highlighted big figures like Chadwick Boseman and Sean Connery, as well as some in lesser-known industry positions like hairstylists and animators. But the choices made for the segment have received heavy criticism, with some viewers calling it “bizarre,” according to BuzzFeed.
Among the many names snubbed from the final video were Jeremy Bulloch and Dave Prowse, both of whom are iconic “Star Wars” actors from the original trilogy who died in late 2020. It was one of many hiccups at this year’s Oscars ceremony.
WATCH: Oscars ‘In Memoriam’ Leaves out Original ‘Star Wars’ Actors
The full video of the Oscars “In Memoriam” segment can be seen above, but you’ll have to read fast to catch all the names and realize who was missing.
The tone already felt off when the music choice turned out to be “As” by Stevie Wonder, a surprisingly upbeat choice. Academy Award-winning producer Christopher Miller commented about the pace of the presentation on Twitter. “This year’s Oscars In Memoriam played accidentally at podcast 1.5x speed,” Miller wrote.
Naya Rivera, Jessica Walter and Adam Schlesinger were three big names left out that have drawn significant backlash, according to BuzzFeed.
Prowse & Bulloch Receive Minor Acknowledgement as Part of the Oscars ‘In Memoriam’ Website Gallery
GettyDavid Prowse standing with a fan dressed as Darth Vader at a “Star Wars” convention in 2013.
While Prowse and Bulloch were far from the only names left out of the “In Memoriam” segment at the 93rd Academy Awards, they did at least get some recognition as part of the program’s gallery on the Oscars website. The link for the larger gallery wasn’t shown until the final seconds of the “In Memoriam” video during its original presentation.
Prowse, Bulloch, Walter and Schlesinger were all included on the website gallery, which only shows a name, industry role and single photo for most of those in the gallery. A few entries have no photo shown.
Prowse is most well-known for portraying Darth Vader in the original “Star Wars” trilogy, and Bulloch was the first person to portray Boba Fett. However, neither of the two men actually had their voice in the final cut, as both characters were ultimately voiced by other actors.
James Earl Jones became the iconic voice of Darth Vader in the original trilogy, but Boba Fett ended up having two different voice actors. According to The Atlantic, Jason Wingreen voiced Boba Fett in the original release but was later replaced in a re-release of the trilogy by Temuera Morrison, who played Jango Fett in “Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones” and later portrayed Boba Fett in “The Mandalorian.”
ABC Executive Rob Mills Responded to Oscars Backlash: ‘It Was a Calculated Risk’
On top of the criticism of the “In Memoriam” segment, the night’s other big miscue came when the categories were shifted to end with Best Actor, only for someone not present at the awards to win. According to the New York Post, the decision to end the night with Best Actor rather than the traditional Best Picture was likely made under the belief that Chadwick Boseman would posthumously win Best Actor for his role in “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.”
However, Anthony Hopkins took home the Best Actor prize and wasn’t present to give an acceptance speech. In the speech, seen here via “Good Morning America,” Hopkins was brief and chose to pay tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman during his acceptance.
Speaking to Variety, ABC executive VP of unscripted and alternative entertainment Rob Mills commented on the way the night ended. “It was not meant to end on somebody who was not present,” Mills said. “It was a calculated risk, that I think still paid off because everybody was talking about it.”
In the same interview, Mills responded to criticism of the “In Memoriam” video that was shown. “The In Memoriam is always a tough nut to crack,” Mills said. “This year we chose to focus on honoring those who we have lost rather than a performance. Once a song was chosen, they timed the pace to the tempo.”