Oscars' In Memoriam remembers Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher

Bill Paxton was honored by Jennifer Aniston at the start of the segment.

ByABC News
February 26, 2017, 11:55 PM

— -- The In Memoriam segment highlighted some of the Hollywood luminaries lost since the last Oscars.

At the start of the segment, Jennifer Aniston got choked up as she mentioned 61-year-old Bill Paxton, who died on the eve of the Oscars following complications from surgery. Paxton was not featured in the video segment.

Sara Bareilles, the Grammy- and Emmy-nominated singer-songwriter, performed Joni Mitchell's "Both Sides Now" as part of the tribute to honor people in the film industry who died since the last Oscars.

They included Bill Nunn, George Kennedy, Gene Wilder, Patty Duke, Garry Marshall, Anton Yelchin, Mary Tyler Moore, Prince, John Hurt, Nancy Reagan, Curtis Hanson, Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher, who died a day apart from each other. Fisher ended the segment in her most famous role as Princess Leia, saying, "May the Force be with you."

In recent years, who gets included, or not, in the segment has been a source of controversy. In 2015, many were upset when Joan Rivers was left out.

The academy posted a photo gallery of more than 200 recently deceased Hollywood professionals on Oscars.com. shortly after Bareilles’ performance.

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