Martin Short sits out 2026 Actor Awards after daughter Katherine's death despite two nominations

Martin Short was nominated for two awards at tonight's 32nd Annual Actor Awards, but he wasn't anywhere to be seen at the ceremony.

The 75-year-old actor has skipped the ceremony — formerly known as the SAG Awards — at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles as he continues to grieve for his daughter Katherine in the wake of her unexpected death at 42 on Monday, February 23.

Short's absence was confirmed during the ceremony, when Jenna Ortega began reading the nominees in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series category.

Short was nominated alongside Adam Brody from Nobody Wants This, Ted Danson from Inside Man, and Seth Rogen and Ike Barinholtz, both of whom star in The Studio.

The other four nominees were all in the audience and had cameras trained on them as soon as their names were read, but Short was represented only by a still photo on screen once his name came up.  

Seth Rogen ultimately won the award, though Short was up for another honor, Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series, for which he was nominated alongside his Only Murders In The Building costars Steve Martin and Selena Gomez.

None of the show's lead trio would have been on hand to accept the award, as Martin and Gomez also skipped the ceremony out of solidarity with Short, according to People. 

Short previously won the award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Comedy Series, when he and his costars were also honored with Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series.

After police revealed that Short's daughter Katherine had died by suicide, his celebrity friends rushed to his side to comfort him, including Martin and their fellow Only Murders In The Building costar Meryl Streep.

Following his daughter's death, a representative for Short issued a statement: 'It is with profound grief that we confirm the passing of Katherine Hartley Short. The Short family is devastated by this loss, and asks for privacy at this time. Katherine was beloved by all and will be remembered for the light and joy she brought into the world.'

Last week, the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) confirmed that Katherine had 'not been heard from in 24 hours' before her friend called police.

The 32nd Annual Actor Awards, formerly known as the SAG Awards, rolled out the red carpet at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall in Los Angeles on Sunday.

The ceremony officially rebranded as The Actor Awards this year, a move designed to align the show with its iconic statuette 'The Actor', sharpen its global identity and keep the spotlight squarely on performers honoring their peers.

And there's a familiar face steering the ship. 

Kristen Bell returns as host for the third time, having previously emceed in 2018 and 2025. 

'Having Kristen return to host feels like welcoming back a member of the family. One you actually want to hang out with,' show-runner and executive producer Jon Brockett said in a statement. 

Streaming live on Netflix, the ceremony will hand out honors across 28 categories spanning film, television and limited series, with six nominees in each race except Cinematic and Box Office Achievement, which features eight contenders.

On the film side, One Battle After Another leads the pack with seven nominations, followed closely by Sinners with five. 

The race for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role is stacked with Leonardo DiCaprio for One Battle After Another, Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme, Michael B. Jordan for Sinners, Ethan Hawke for Blue Moon, and Jesse Plemons for Bugonia.

The Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role category is equally competitive, featuring Jessie Buckley for Hamnet, Rose Byrne for If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Kate Hudson for Song Sung Blue and Emma Stone for Bugonia.

In supporting categories, Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn both scored nominations for One Battle After Another, while Jacob Elordi earned recognition for Frankenstein, Paul Mescal for Hamnet, and Miles Caton for Sinners in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role race. 

The Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role lineup includes Odessa A’Zion for Marty Supreme, Ariana Grande for Wicked: For Good, Amy Madigan for Weapons, Wunmi Mosaku for Sinners, and Teyana Taylor for One Battle After Another - a mix of seasoned veterans and exciting newcomers.

The Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture category brings ensemble firepower from Frankenstein, Hamnet, Marty Supreme, One Battle After Another and Sinners, underscoring just how actor-driven this awards body remains.

Television, meanwhile, has its own battleground.

On the comedy front, The Studio dominated with five nominations, cementing its status as an actors’ favorite. 

It will compete for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series alongside Abbott Elementary, The Bear, Hacks and Only Murders in the Building.

Individual comedy acting races feature names like Kathryn Hahn, Catherine O’Hara and Seth Rogen from The Studio, Jean Smart for Hacks, Jenna Ortega for Wednesday, Adam Brody for Nobody Wants This, Ted Danson for A Man on the Inside and Martin Short for Only Murders in the Building.

Drama is just as intense. The White Lotus, Severance, The Diplomat, The Pitt and Landman are all nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. 

Acting nods in the drama categories went to performers including Britt Lower, Parker Posey, Keri Russell, Rhea Seehorn, Aimee Lou Wood, Sterling K. Brown, Billy Crudup, Walton Goggins, Gary Oldman and Noah Wyle.

Limited series and television movies continue to prove their awards muscle.

Nominees for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Limited Series include Claire Danes for The Beast in Me, Erin Doherty and Christine Tremarco for Adolescence, Sarah Snook for All Her Fault and Michelle Williams for Dying for Sex. 

On the male side, Jason Bateman for Black Rabbit, Owen Cooper and Stephen Graham for Adolescence, Charlie Hunnam for Monster: The Ed Gein Story and Matthew Rhys for The Beast in Me are all in contention.

Yet no awards season is complete without a little controversy. 

One of the most talked-about snubs was Cynthia Erivo, who many expected to be nominated for Wicked: For Good but was left off the list. 

Fans also pointed to the absence of Gwyneth Paltrow and Dwayne Johnson, while others questioned the limited international representation among acting nominees. 

Additional omissions, including Sentimental Value on the film side and Death by Lightning in television, fueled further chatter.

Still, there were pleasant surprises that delighted fans, including supporting nominations for Odessa A’Zion (Marty Supreme) and Wunmi Mosaku (Sinners), highlighting the breadth of this year’s roster.

Adding gravitas to the evening, Hollywood legend Harrison Ford will receive the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award.  

Over a career spanning more than five decades, Ford has anchored some of the biggest franchises in film history, from Star Wars and Indiana Jones to Blade Runner and The Fugitive, cementing his status as one of Hollywood’s most bankable and enduring leading men. 

'I am deeply honored to be chosen as this year’s recipient of the SAG-AFTRA Life Achievement Award,' Ford said. 

'To be acknowledged by my fellow actors means a great deal to me. I’ve spent most of my life on film sets, working alongside incredible actors and crews, and I’ve always felt grateful to be part of this community.'

And helping represent the next generation is Bridgerton breakout Yerin Ha, who has been tapped as this year’s Ambassador for The Actor Awards. 

'Being named The Actor Awards Ambassador is such an honor because this ceremony is about actors celebrating actors,' Ha said. 

'There is something uniquely powerful about being recognized within your own community. As someone who cares so deeply about the craft and about collaboration, it means so much to represent the next generation of actors and be part of an event that uplifts storytelling.'