Fans took to Twitter to blast the omission of Kelly Preston, Kobe Bryant, and Nick Cordero from the 72nd Primetime Emmy Awards' In Memoriam segment on Sunday.
As usual, the Emmy Awards honoured icons the television world has lost over the past year, such as Chadwick Boseman and Naya Rivera, in the touching highlight reel. However, some fans were left disappointed that a few big names were noticeably absent, particularly Preston, Bryant, and Cordero.
Athlete Bryant - who tragically died in a helicopter crash on 26 January alongside his 13-year-old daughter Gianna and seven others - was a mainstay on television during his years-long career. And with the virtual ceremony taking place at the Los Angeles Staples Center, the home of his famous team the Los Angeles Lakers, also popularly known as "the house that Kobe built" - his exclusion ruffled feathers.
“Surprised that they left #KobeBryant out of the In Memoriam segment. Granted, he wasn’t really part of the television industry, but as an NBA star, he still had a strong presence on television. #Emmys,” tweeted one fan.
“What! No #KobeBryant #inmemoriam? He was on TV all the time! #Emmys #Emmy,” another added.
Meanwhile, Broadway star Cordero's tragic death from Covid-19 complications in July came after a very public months-long battle.
As well as his roles onstage he'd also had several prominent roles in numerous TV shows, including recurring roles on Blue Bloods and Law & Order: SVU, which many fans pointed out.
Meanwhile, Preston's exclusion was met with surprise. The actress - who also died in July after a private battle with cancer - was best known for her film roles, as well as her marriage to John Travolta.
However, viewers were left stunned that the star, who had numerous roles on the small screen, didn't get a mention in the lengthy segment, with one fan tweeting: "Did you folks just snub Kelly Preston?"
Other celebrities left out included Mythbusters star Grant Imahara, Monty Python co-creator Terry Jones, horror icon Sid Haig and two-time Oscar winner and Emmy nominee Olivia de Havilland.
According to Entertainment Tonight, Emmy bosses acknowledged that not every celebrity who has died this year would be featured in their tribute, citing time constraints. An extensive In Memoriam tribute is listed on their website, with Cordero and Preston both included but Bryant still notably absent.
