Shonda Rhimes speaks out after Eric Dane's Oscars ‘In Memoriam' snub

The 98th Academy Awards’ “In Memoriam” segment sparked backlash Sunday night when late Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane was left out.

Now Shonda Rhimes is weighing in.

Asked about the omission, the Grey’s Anatomy creator told Entertainment Tonight, “Well, he’s not a movie star, you know? And I feel like when the Emmys come around, he will be [immortalized] the way he should be.”

Rhimes added that while the Oscars focus on film, she expects the Primetime Emmys in September to honor Dane properly.

She also reflected on his passing, “Eric is an — was an — incredible human being, and I still say ‘is’ because it’s very hard for me to believe he’s gone. He was a huge loss for the Shondaland family, for the Grey’s Anatomy family, and honestly, the people that he knew.”

Dane, best known as Dr. Mark Sloan, aka McSteamy, died February 19 at age 53 following a battle with ALS.

Grey’s Anatomy paid tribute with a 60 second montage, while costars Kate Walsh and Katherine Heigl shared emotional tributes online.

“I will never forget Eric’s gold and I will forever be grateful I got to bask in it for even a brief moment in time,” Heigl wrote.

Dane wasn’t the only star missing from the Oscars montage.

James Van Der Beek, Brigitte Bardot, Loni Anderson, Samantha Eggar, and Robert Carradine were also absent, fueling debate about how the Academy curates its annual tribute.

The 2026 Primetime Emmys, set for September 14, are expected to include Dane in their memorial segment, a moment Rhimes says will finally honor him “the way he should be.”