Tony Todd’s Widow Speaks Out After Emmys In Memoriam Snub: “Either do everybody or nobody” and the online tribute sparks new debate

Acknowledge this: Fatima Cortez Todd, Tony Todd’s widow, is visibly hurt after the Emmys left her late husband out of the televised In Memoriam segment, despite his long resume of iconic TV roles. Hello, I’m Jordan Collins, your friendly guide who assumes you probably need the full, un-messy breakdown, so yes, we’re going to walk through exactly what happened, why it matters, and what people are saying on the record, with a spritz of attitude you didn’t know you needed.

Tony Todd, the beloved Candyman actor, passed away earlier, and his family has repeatedly contended that his career deserved broader recognition. Fatima Cortez Todd tells TMZ that watching the Emmys tribute left her sighing in disappointment, insisting that Tony’s body of work on shows like The Young and the Restless, Hawaii Five-O, and Matlock warranted inclusion in the televised memorial. She doesn’t mince words about the snub, framing it as “another disrespect of him” in a career that she says faced its share of demerits and dismissals.

The controversy isn’t isolated to a single broadcast. Fatima notes that while Tony is present in the Emmy’s online In Memoriam, he did not appear on the live telecast. Polly Holliday, known for Alice, was also omitted from the broadcast portion, which she calls “a wonderful human being in addition to a great actress.” The online memorial listing is not the same as the televised moment, and the widow points out the discrepancy as part of the broader conversation about how the industry honors its late contributors. This isn’t the first time Fatima has voiced frustration; she previously spoke to TMZ about the Oscars In Memoriam, where she felt Tony again did not receive the recognition she believes he deserved.

The wider implications of the snub are not just about one broadcast. Fatima suggests a reconsideration of how the Emmys handle In Memoriam, arguing for either including everyone or including no one, to avoid singling out certain careers or shows. In the meantime, she is planning a memorial in Los Angeles on November 8, marking the first anniversary of Tony Todd’s death, offering fans a dedicated space to celebrate his life and legacy.

For Tony Todd fans and entertainment historians alike, the Emmys In Memoriam debate highlights how an artist’s legacy can be interpreted differently across platforms—television, streaming, and online memorials. The conversation also underscores how personal grief amplifies public oversight; Fatima’s comments are not just about a single broadcast, but about a perceived pattern in the way mainstream awards honor Black actors and genre icons, especially those who built enduring reputations on soap operas and procedural dramas that shaped late 20th-century and early 21st-century television.

As we await any formal response from the Emmys or additional tributes, the question remains: will this spark change in how In Memoriam segments are curated, or will it simply fuel more online debate and future memorials? What fans can expect next is another wave of commentary about Tony Todd’s career, the Emmys’ memorial criteria, and a growing insistence on recognizing a broader cross-section of television history. And yes, the clock is ticking toward that November memorial—mark your calendar and stay tuned for the next chapter in this ongoing conversation about legacy, recognition, and the memory of a screen icon.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ
Attribution: Nicholas D’Agosto, Emma Bell, Tony Todd on Dulce Osuna for Final Destination 5 — Dulce Osuna (CC BY-SA 4.0) (OV)