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Billy Crystal Leads Gut-Wrenching Rob Reiner Oscars Tribute With Meg Ryan, Demi Moore & More
Billy Crystal remembered Rob Reiner—with the help of some special friends.
Three months after the director and his wife Michele Singer Reiner were killed, the When Harry Met Sally actor kicked off the Oscars In Memoriam segment by celebrating his and Michele’s life and legacy. For Billy, it began 51 years ago, when Billy appeared in an episode of Rob’s show All in the Family.
“Rob said, ‘You know, it was fun playing your best friend. Why don't we keep it going?’” the Saturday Night Live alum noted. “And it was a thrill to see him evolve from a great comic actor to a master storyteller.”
Billy, who indeed continued on as a frequent collaborator of Rob’s over the years, detail the filmmakers’ most loved work, like When Harry Met Sally, A Few Good Men, Misery, Stand By Me, and This Is Spinal Tap.
So, it was only fitting that at the March 15 ceremony, Billy was joined by some those who spent time with Rob on set: Stand by Me’s Wil Wheaton and Jerry O’Connell, Misery star Kathy Bates, A Few Good Men’s Kevin Pollack, Keifer Sutherland and Demi Moore.
Alongside them were The Sure Thing’s Daphne Zuniga and John Cusack, The American President’s Annette Bening, and This Is Spinal Tap’s Michael McKean and Christopher Guest.
Rounding out the star-studded tribute were Billy’s When Harry Met Sally leading lady Meg Ryan and his Princess Bride costar Carol Kane, Mandy Patinkin, Carey Elwes and Fred Savage.
Kevin Winter/Getty Images
“My friends 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,” Billy told the audience during his emotional tribute. “And when Michelle Singer entered his life, they were unstoppable. A gifted photographer, she not only produced films with Rob, but it was her energy that had them working tirelessly to fight social injustice in the country that they both love.”
The comedian also went on to detail conversations he had with Rob about his legacy before directing a message to the acclaimed filmmaker.
“Their loss is immeasurable, and 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,” he noted. “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.”
KENT NISHIMURA/AFP via Getty Images
)ver the course of his decades long career, Rob—the son of comedian Carl Reiner and actress Estelle Reiner—touched many lives, through his classic films as well as acting in hit shows like New Girl and The Bear.
Following his and Michele’s tragic deaths in December (their son Nick Reiner has been charged but pleaded not guilty to their murders), several of their closest friends in the film industry, including Billy, Martin Short and Larry David, shared a heartfelt tribute.
“Absorbing all he had learned from his father Carl and his mentor Norman Lear, Rob Reiner not only was a great comic actor, he became a master story teller,” their statement to the Associated Press published Dec. 16 read. “There is no other director who has his range. From comedy to drama to ‘mockumentary’ to documentary he was always at the top of his game. He charmed audiences. They trusted him. They lined up to see his films.”
Remembering Rob's "comedic touch" and "elegant" approach to drama, the filmmaker's friends added, “For the actors, he loved them. For the writers he made them better. His greatest gift was freedom. If you had an idea, he listened, he brought you into the process. They always felt they were working as a team. To be in his hands as a film maker was a privilege but that is only part of his legacy."
Beyond his unforgettable career, the group also celebrated the passion Rob and Michele—also parents to Jake Reiner and Romy Reiner as well as his daughter Tracy Reiner with Penny Marshall—had for advocacy.
“Strong and determined, Michele and Rob Reiner devoted a great deal of their lives for the betterment of our fellow citizens," their friends said. "They were a special force together—dynamic, unselfish and inspiring. We were their friends, and we will miss them forever."
As the Oscars continue, keep reading to see who's taken home an award tonight...
Best Picture
Bugonia
F1
Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
WINNER: One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Train Dreams
Actress in a Leading Role
WINNER: Jessie Buckley - Hamnet
Rose Byrne - If I Had Legs I'd Kick You
Kate Hudson - Song Sung Blue
Renate Reinsve - Sentimental Value
Emma Stone - Bugonia
Actor in a Leading Role
Timothée Chalamet - Marty Supreme
Leonardo DiCaprio - One Battle After Another
Ethan Hawke - Blue Moon
WINNER: Michael B. Jordan - Sinners
Wagner Moura - The Secret Agent
Actress in a Supporting Role
Elle Fanning - Sentimental Value
Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas - Sentimental Value
WINNER: Amy Madigan - Weapons
Wunmi Mosaku- Sinners
Teyana Taylor - One Battle After Another
Actor in a Supporting Role
Benecio Del Toro - One Battle After Another
Jacob Elordi - Frankenstein
Delroy Lindo - Sinners
WINNER: Sean Penn - One Battle After Another
Stellan Skarsgård - Sentimental Value
Director
Chloé Zhao - Hamnet
Josh Safdie - Marty Supreme
WINNER: Paul Thomas Anderson - One Battle After Another
Joachim Trier - Sentimental Value
Ryan Coogler - Sinners
Original Screenplay
Blue Moon
It Was Just An Accident
Marty Supreme
Sentimental Value
WINNER: Sinners
Costume Design
Avatar: Fire and Ash
WINNER: Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
Sinners
Original Song
"Dear Me" from Diane Warren: Relentless
WINNER: "Golden" from KPop Deamon Hunters
"I Lied to You" from Sinners
"Sweet Dreams of Joy" from Viva Verdii
"Train Dreams" from Train Dreams
International Feature Film
The Secret Agent
It Was Just an Accident
WINNER: Sentimental Value
Sirat
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Live Action Short Film
Butcher's Stain
A Friend of Dorothy
Jane Austen's Period Drama
WINNER (Tie): The Singers
WINNER (Tie): Two People Exchanging Saliva
Documentary Short Film
WINNER: All the Empty Rooms
Armed Only With A Camera: The Life and Death of Brent Renaud
Children No More: "Were and Are Gone"
The Devil Is Busy
Perfectly a Strangeness
Original Score
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
One Battle After Another
WINNER: Sinners
Visual Effects
WINNER: Avatar: Fire and Ash
F1
Jurassic World Rebirth
The Lost Bus
Sinners
Cinematography
Frankenstein
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
WINNER: Sinners
Train Dreams
Film Editing
F1
Marty Supreme
WINNER: One Battle After Another
Sentimental Value
Sinners
Production Design
WINNER: Frankenstein
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Adapted Screenplay
Bugonia
Frankenstein
Hamnet
WINNER: One Battle After Another
Train Dreams
Documentary Feature Film
The Alabama Solution
Come See Me in the Good Light
Cutting Through Rocks
WINNER: Mr. Nobody Against Putin
The Perfect Neighbor
Casting
Hamnet
Marty Supreme
WINNER: One Battle After Another
The Secret Agent
Sinners
Animated Short Film
Butterfly
Forevergreen
WINNER: The Girl Who Cried Pearls
Retirement Plan
The Three Sisters
Makeup & Hairstyling
WINNER: Frankenstein
Kokuho
Sinners
The Smashing Machine
The Ugly Stepsister
Animated Feature Film
Arco
Elio
WINNER: Kpop Demon Hunters
Little Amélie or the Character of Rain
Zootopia 2
Sound
WINNER: F1
Frankenstein
One Battle After Another
Sinners
Sirat
Watch the Oscars 2026 Sunday, March 15, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ABC and streaming on Hulu.
English (US) ·