Jamie Lee Curtis fights back tears as she honors Rob Reiner at the 2026 Emmys

Jamie Lee Curtis struggled to hold back tears as she remembered Rob Reiner during one of the most emotional moments of the 2026 Emmy Awards.

The actress took the stage at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater on Monday night, Sept. 14, as part of the ceremony’s In Memoriam tribute. Speaking about Reiner, who died in December 2025 alongside his wife, Michele, Curtis remembered him as a warm and generous presence in the entertainment community.

Reiner and Michele were found dead at their Los Angeles home in December 2025. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner later listed multiple sharp force injuries as the cause of death and homicide as the manner of death.

Jamie Lee Curtis remembers Rob Reiner

Before Curtis appeared onstage, Noah Kahan performed “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” the Simon & Garfunkel classic, as photographs of actors, writers, producers, directors and other television figures who died over the past year were projected across the stage.

The montage included Hayden Panettiere, James Van Der Beek, Sam Neill, Eric Dane, Robert Duvall, Robert Carradine, Vincent Pastore, Tim Curry, Bob Mackie, Shelley Fabares, James Burrows and Ted Turner, among others.

Curtis then stepped forward to remember Reiner, becoming visibly emotional as she spoke about the man behind the celebrated career.

“He was generous and kind, and funny as hell, and a friend to all,” Curtis said. “We all miss Rob and Michele, and all those we lost this year.”

Her tribute also recalled Reiner’s long history with the Emmys. Earlier in September, he received a posthumous Emmy for Outstanding Guest Performer in a Comedy Series for his role in “The Bear.” That victory came 48 years after his previous acting Emmy, surpassing the record for the longest gap between acting Emmy wins that had previously been held by his father, Carl Reiner.

Reiner first became widely known as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on “All in the Family,” a role that earned him his first Emmy in 1974 and another in 1978. He later established himself as a director, writer and producer behind films including “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally…” and “This Is Spinal Tap.”

The 2026 Emmy tribute closed with Curtis remembering Reiner and James Burrows, another major figure in television comedy.

Catherine O’Hara remembered by her onscreen children

Reiner was not the only late entertainment figure to receive a deeply personal tribute during the ceremony.

Catherine O’Hara was honored separately at the start of the In Memoriam presentation, with three of her best-known onscreen children taking the stage: Macaulay Culkin, Annie Murphy and Dan Levy.

Culkin played O’Hara’s son Kevin McCallister in “Home Alone” and “Home Alone 2,” while Murphy and Levy starred alongside her as Alexis and David Rose on “Schitt’s Creek.”

Culkin described O’Hara as more than the woman who played his mother on screen.

“There are all types of words I could use to describe Catherine. She was encouraging. She was warm. She was funny, but the word that I think of is ‘Mom,’” he said.

He went on to explain that O’Hara had become a maternal figure in his life beyond their work together.

“She wasn’t just a wife and mother to Beau and Matthew and Luke, she was my mom,” Culkin said.

Murphy and Levy also shared memories of their former TV mother. Murphy spoke about O’Hara’s distinctive laugh and the way fans continue to tell her how much O’Hara’s work meant to them. Levy reflected on what he learned from working with her, including her willingness to embrace new ideas.

O’Hara died Jan. 30, 2026, at age 71. Her five-decade career included work on “Second City Television,” “Home Alone” and “Schitt’s Creek.”

Dolly Parton receives a special Emmy tribute

Dolly Parton was also honored during the ceremony in a tribute separate from the main In Memoriam montage.

Her “Steel Magnolias” co-star Sally Field introduced the segment, reflecting on her relationship with Parton and the impact the country music legend had on television, entertainment and audiences.

Reba McEntire then performed Parton’s “Appalachian Memories.” The song, written and recorded by Parton, provided the musical centerpiece of the tribute.

The tribute came only weeks after Parton’s death at age 80 on Aug. 25. Her television career included appearances on variety programs and series including “Hannah Montana,” “Designing Women” and “Reba,” in addition to her work on her own television specials and shows.

Noah Kahan provides the music for In Memoriam

Noah Kahan’s performance of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” served as the musical backdrop for the larger memorial montage.

Emmys producer Jesse Collins had previously explained that the song was personally meaningful to Kahan, who considers Paul Simon one of his favorite artists.

The producers worked with Kahan on an arrangement designed to suit the ceremony while preserving the character of the original song.

As Kahan performed, images of television and entertainment figures who had died during the eligibility period appeared on the large screen at the Peacock Theater.

The televised tribute included James Van Der Beek, Hayden Panettiere, Eric Dane, Vincent Pastore, Tim Curry, Shelley Fabares, Ted Turner and Bob Mackie, among others.

Chuck Norris and Nicholas Brendon among those absent from the televised montage

The broadcast tribute did not include every entertainment figure who died during the eligibility period.

Among the names not shown were Chuck Norris and Nicholas Brendon, the latter best known for playing Xander Harris on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Their absence was particularly noticeable because the ceremony also featured a reunion involving Brendon’s former “Buffy” co-stars Sarah Michelle Gellar and David Boreanaz.

Other figures reported as absent from the televised tribute included Robert Redford, Patrick Muldoon and Daveigh Chase. The Television Academy maintains a more comprehensive In Memoriam listing beyond the names featured in the broadcast segment.

The distinction matters because the televised montage is only part of the Academy’s broader memorial record. The 2026 segment focused on a selection of people from across the television industry who died during the relevant period.

Mariska Hargitay hosts the 78th Emmys

The emotional tributes came during the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay.

Hargitay became the first woman in 15 years to host the ceremony, following Jane Lynch’s turn as host in 2011. The 2026 event was held at the Peacock Theater at LA Live in Los Angeles and was broadcast live on NBC and Peacock.

The ceremony brought together a star-filled audience that included Zendaya, Keke Palmer, Jon Hamm, Amy Poehler and other prominent television figures.

The night combined the usual celebration of television with several personal memorials, including the tributes to O’Hara, Parton and Reiner.

For Curtis, however, the evening’s most poignant moment came when she stood before the audience and spoke about her late friend.

Her simple description of Reiner captured the spirit of the tribute: generous, kind, funny and a friend to all.