Billy Crystal took to the 2026 Oscars stage to honor his friends, the late Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner, who were found dead on December 14 in their Brentwood, Los Angeles home. Their son, Nick Reiner, was charged with two counts of murder in connection with their deaths. At the end of Crystal’s remarks at the Academy Awards, he was joined onstage by a huge collection of stars of Reiner’s iconic films.
The group included Crystal and Meg Ryan, the stars of When Harry Met Sally, Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Jerry O’Connell, Wil Wheaton, Fred Savage, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Carol Kane, Kiefer Sutherland, Demi Moore, Kevin Pollak, Kathy Bates, Annette Bening, John Cusack, and Daphne Zuniga. See them all together in the photo above.
The Reiner tribute kicked off the In Memoriam segment of the 2026 Oscars, which aired live on Sunday, March 15, on ABC from the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
“I met Mr. Rob Reiner when I was cast as his best friend in an episode of All in the Family, and it went so well that Rob said, ‘It was fun playing your best friend. Why don’t we keep it going?'” Crystal began. “And it was a thrill to see him evolve from a great comic actor to a master storyteller.”
He listed some of Reiner’s beloved films, such as This Is Spinal Tap, The Sure Thing, The Princess Bride, Misery, and Stand By Me, and highlighted what people loved about Reiner’s films — and why that meant so much to the director.
“My friend 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 said. “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, all we can say is, buddy, what fun we had storming the castle.”
Crystal also reminded viewers that the Reiners were social activists who helped make marriage equality a reality in the United States. The curtain raised, and stars of Reiner’s movies walked to the front of the stage.
The Oscars In Memoriam segment also included tributes to Diane Ladd, Catherine O’Hara, and Diane Keaton, presented by Rachel McAdams, and concluded with a tribute to Robert Redford from Barbra Streisand.
See the full list of 2026 Oscar winners here.
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