Gone but not forgotten. The “In Memoriam” segment of the 2017 Oscars on Sunday, February 26, posthumously honored some of Hollywood’s brightest stars, with presenter Jennifer Aniston getting choked up remembering Bill Paxton and other celebrities. Watch the clip above to see the touching tribute, and follow our live blog to relive the Oscars moment by moment.
Aniston, 48, introduced the segment, which honored the actors, actresses, directors and industry insiders we’ve lost since last year’s ceremony, including Paxton, who died suddenly on Saturday, February 25. (Due to the unexpectedness of the Twister actor’s death, he was not included in the video montage.)
“Each and every one was a beloved member of our Hollywood family, as was a beloved actor and friend who left us just yesterday, Bill Paxton,” the Friends alum said, getting teary-eyed. “All were loved, and all will be missed.”
Singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles performed a touching rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides, Now” as the “In Memoriam” montage played in the background. The 37-year-old singer shared images from her time getting ready for the big night throughout the day Sunday, including a stunning selfie right before the show began.
Earlier in the day on Sunday, February 26, fans and celebrities alike mourned the shocking death of prolific Hollywood actor Paxton, who died from a stroke after a heart surgery. Paxton was best known for his roles in such classics as Titanic, Apollo 13 and Aliens, as well as the HBO series Big Love and the History Channel’s 2012 miniseries Hatfields & McCoys, for which he was nominated for an Emmy.
Other major losses from a year of many deaths included Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds. The mother-daughter pair died one day apart in December. Fisher’s daughter, Scream Queens star Billie Lourd, earlier this month shared a touching throwback photo of herself with the Star Wars movie icon, captioning the black-and-white image with a simple: “✨?✨.”
Others honored in the clip were Gene Wilder, Mary Tyler Moore, Prince, David Bowie, director Garry Marshall, Emmanuelle Riva, Anton Yelchin, Nancy Reagan and Zsa Zsa Gabor.
Check out all the night’s biggest moments via Us Weekly’s live blog.