American actor Paul Sorvino passed away in July 2022 after enjoying a thriving career in the movie industry that spanned decades. A few months after his death, Paul’s widow Dee Dee Sorvino expressed her anger over the 2023 Oscars omitting her husband’s name during the In Memoriam segment. Here are the details.
The Oscars In Memoriam Segment
As is tradition, the 2023 Oscars aired an In Memoriam segment during Sunday’s broadcast to honor the actors, directors, and other Hollywood creatives who died over the past year.
RELATED STORIES
Details Of The Tribute
The emotional tribute featured a tearful introduction from John Travolta and an amazing performance of Calling All Angels by Lenny Kravitz.
Stars’ Names Are Omitted From The List
However, the Academy has come under fire for omitting the names of numerous stars like Anne Heche, who died after a car crash, and Tom Sizemore, who died from a brain aneurysm.
Other Surprising Omissions
The viewers also expected to see Charlbi Dean, Paul Sorvino, Fred Ward, Gilbert Gottfried, Leslie Jordan, Lisa Marie Presley, and Cindy Williams.
The Academy Directs Users To The Website
However, the above-mentioned names were surprisingly omitted during the segment, and viewers were asked to check out the longer In Memoriam tribute on the Oscars website.
The Public Expresses Disappointment
As expected, fans and families of the stars were outraged about the omission and took to various mediums to express their disappointment with the Academy.
Paul’s Wife Releases A Statement
Paul’s wife, Dee Dee, was not left out as she shared her thoughts in a statement to ET . Speaking to the outlet, the author said her husband was one of the greatest actors in cinematic history in Hollywood.
More Of Dee Dee’s Thoughts
“It is unconscionable that he would be left out of the In Memoriam segment of the Oscars. It’s a three-hour show, they can’t give a couple more minutes to get it right?” Dee Dee continued.
Paul Was Loved By All
The widow explained that her husband devoted decades to the movie industry and was loved by all. According to Dee Dee, a QR Code on a website wasn’t acceptable.
Dee Dee Asks The Academy To Tender An Apology
Next, Dee Dee demanded that the Academy should issue an apology, admit their mistake, and do better. She wrapped up by relaying that Paul deserved better.
Dee Dee’s Final Words
Dee Dee maintained that it would be a shame on the Academy if the omission weren’t corrected. “Mistakes are made. This was a big one. Please do something to make it right,” she concluded.
Paul’s Daughter Calls Out The Academy
Meanwhile, Dee Dee is not the only Sorvino who has spoken out about the big omission. Paul’s daughter Mira has also slammed the Academy for their decision.
Mira Shares Her Thoughts On Twitter
The Oscar winner took to Twitter the day after the event, sharing that it was baffling beyond belief that her father and other brilliant departed stars were left out.
The World Will Remember Paul
According to the Lamborghini: The Man Behind The Legend star, the Oscars forgot about Paul, but the rest of the world would always remember the icon.
Mira Takes Her Annoyance To Instagram
Mira also took to Instagram to share her disappointment. The star had shared a clip of her winning Best Supporting Actress for Mighty Aphrodite in 1996 as her father wept with joy.
Mira Gushes About Her Dad
In the caption, she gushed about how much of an amazing father and teacher Paul was and how remarkable it was to share such a beautiful moment with him.
Mira Asks The Academy To Make Things Right
Not long after, Mira learned of the omission and edited the Instagram post’s caption, calling on The Academy to make things right.
Mira Says She’s Hurt
The actress confessed that she was hurt and shocked that Paul’s irreplaceable, lifelong, and enormous contribution to the cinema world was overlooked.
Paul Was A Unique Man
Mira ended by noting that Paul’s family and the public knew how unique and incredible the actor was, and hopefully, something would be done about the omission.
