The 2026 Emmy Awards turned Sunday night’s“In Memoriam”segment into something worth sitting with. Macauley Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy introduced the tribute with memories of Catherine O’Hara, who died in January at 71. Then Noah Kahan took the stage with an acoustic guitar and a string section for a stripped-down take on Simon&Garfunkel’s“Bridge Over Troubled Water.”
The night didn’t stop there. Jamie Lee Curtis gave a tearful farewell to Rob Reiner, calling him generous, kind, funny as hell, and a friend to all. Earlier in the show, a separate tribute honored Dolly Parton, who died of cancer last month at 80, with Reba McEntire performing“Appalachian Memories,”introduced by Sally Field.
It added up to one of the heaviest award show nights in recent memory, and a shared moment for anybody who grew up on O’Hara’s movies, Reiner’s films or Dolly’s songs. Music and storytelling have a way of helping us say goodbye when our own words fall short. Which of these three legends meant the most to you and your family?
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Ava Hart
Ava Hart is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.
