Judson Mills, the actor who played Francis Gage on Walker, Texas Ranger, has called Chuck Norris’ exclusion from the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards In Memoriam segment a “tragic mistake.” Norris, the star of Walker, Texas Ranger and The Way of the Dragon, died on March 19 at 86. The ceremony, held on Monday, September 14, did not include him in the segment honoring television industry figures who died in the past year.
Mills, 57, spoke with TMZ in an interview published on September 15. “Tragic mistake. And I have to assume it was just a terrible mistake,” he said. “But my first thought was Gena and the family and his fans.”
He continued, “I’m confident Chuck would encourage forgiveness. He was an ‘it’s not all about me’ kind of guy. But for an icon of his stature who impacted not only Hollywood, but the entire world, to see him not receive recognition at all and to see the family not receive that recognition was disappointing.”
Mills also admitted, “It hurt my feelings for sure. He was a legend for God’s sake.”
In March, Mills had penned an emotional tribute to Norris after his death, describing him as “like a second father.” On Instagram, he wrote, “Chuck was one of those rare individuals who was truly the icon he was made out to be — quiet, humble, kind, wise, and gentle. A giant among men who somehow always made you feel completely at ease, like he was just one of the gang. A true gentleman in every sense of the word. An American hero.”
Mills called working with Norris “a true honor,” ranking it “among the greatest highlights of my life.” He also pointed out, “There is something special that happens when you shoot a television show together every day — you form a bond unlike any other — and what we built on the set of Walker, Texas Ranger was something I will treasure forever.”
Walker, Texas Ranger aired for eight full seasons from 1993 to 2001. In addition to Norris and Mills, the series starred Clarence Gilyard Jr., Sheree J. Wilson, Noble Willingham, Nia Peeples, and more. A TV movie, Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire, premiered in 2005. In 2021, a reboot starring Jared Padalecki hit TV screens; it aired for four seasons, ending in 2024.
Every year, the Emmy Awards ceremonies each present an In Memoriam video. The Television Academy has said there is a limit on how many people can be acknowledged on the broadcasts because only a few minutes are given to honor those who have passed. It has presented a more extensive video, listing the hundreds of names of television colleagues lost in the past year.
