Diana Rigg (Olenna Tyrell) omitted from BAFTA memorial montage
Diana Rigg was left out of the BAFTA memorial montage and fans aren’t happy. Rigg, who breathed life into Lady Olenna Tyrell on Game of Thrones, passed away on September 10, 2020, at her home in London. NME reports that Rigg was one of several actors to be omitted from the montage.
Awards ceremonies are known for celebrating the lives of entertainment industry professionals who passed away during the previous year. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTAs), the UK version of the Oscars and the Emmys, offered their tribute during their April 11 ceremony.
Fans were outraged to see that Diana Rigg had been left out of the montage even though she passed away in September at the age of 82.
It seems like there are always omissions during memorial montages, but that doesn’t make the frustration any less frustrating.
BAFTAs omit Diana Rigg, Honor Blackman from memorial tribute
Rigg wasn’t the only person to be omitted from the montage. Bond girl Honor Blackman was also omitted, which is ironic because Rigg also had ties to the James Bond franchise. Rigg played Countess Teresa di Vicenzo, Bond’s wife, in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.
Rigg’s omission is particularly bizarre because she won a Best Actress BAFTA for the 1989 miniseries Mother Love.
BAFTA officials were quick to release a statement about the omission: “With limited time available for obituaries within the broadcast, it isn’t possible to honour all those who have sadly passed away.”
Their sentiments echo the same release that follows almost every awards ceremony these days, as omissions are inevitable. But this issue really brings into question whether there should be memorial tributes if there isn’t time to recognize everyone. (Conversely, how do you decide who goes in and who is omitted?)
Though she wasn’t included in the BAFTA’s tribute, Game of Thrones fans remember Rigg fondly. Lady Olenna will never be forgotten.
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