Morgan Freeman Honors Gene Hackman During the 2025 Oscars In Memoriam

The Academy Awards honored late titans of the film industry, including actors Gene Hackman, Dame Maggie Smith, James Earl Jones, Donald Sutherland, and legendary director David Lynch, during the 2025 Oscars on Sunday night.

Morgan Freeman paid a special tribute to his “dear friend,” the two-time Oscar winner Hackman, who died aged 95 in February. Starring alongside Hackman in the 2000 thriller Under Suspicion and the western Unforgiven in 1992, Freeman said the late actor would often say, “I don’t think about legacy. I just hope people remember me as someone who tried to do good work.” 

“So I think I speak for us all when I say, Gene, you’ll be remembered for that and for so much more,” Freeman added. “Rest in peace, my friend.” 

Among those honored on Sunday were actress Gena Rowlands, of The Notebook and Gloria; The Shining star Shelley Duvall; screenwriter and director Jeff Baena; prolific actor Bill Cobbs; actor and singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson; and comedian Bob Newhart, among many others. 

In a special segment dedicated to legendary composer and producer Quincy Jones, presenters Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey spoke about their “beloved Q,” who had a “powerful impact on the world of film as a composer and producer.” The seven-time Oscar nominee was the first Black composer to be nominated in the original song category in 1967. Together they welcomed Queen Latifah to the stage, who performed “Ease On Down the Road” from The Wiz’s movie soundtrack, which was produced by Jones. 

In the last year, Hollywood lost dozens of movie professionals. The in memoriam also honored the writers, directors, producers, stunt performers, sound mixers, visual effect products, make-up artists, directors, cinematographers, songwriters, composers, and publicists who helped bring stories to life. 

At the 2024 Oscars, Andrea Bocelli and his son Mateo Bocelli performed “Time to Say Goodbye” during the In Memoriam, which honored actors Harry Belafonte, Alan Arkin, Paul Reubens, Matthew Perry, and others.