As in past years, the In Memoriam segment of Sunday’s Oscar telecast quickly became controversial because of the stars who were left out of the montage, notably ‘Gossip Girl’

Freeman, whose friendship with Hackman spans decades, called the late actor a “giant” of the film industry in his homage.

Freeman and Hackman, who was found dead last week at the age of 95, appeared together in the 1992 western “Unforgiven.”