Glenn Close, a renowned actress long regarded as one of the best without an Oscar win, will receive an honorary Academy Award. The announcement came from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday. Alongside Close, director Ridley Scott and animator Floyd Norman will also receive honorary Oscars at the Governors Awards.
The Academy celebrated Close’s expansive career, saying, “Throughout her extraordinary body of work, Glenn Close’s unparalleled emotional range has brought to life some of the most complex characters in cinema.” Her nominations span back to 1983 with her role in The World According to Garp, including her memorable performance in 1987’s Fatal Attraction and her recent nomination for 2020’s Hillbilly Elegy. With eight nominations, Close matches Peter O’Toole for the most nods without a win.
Her achievements outside the Oscars include winning three Emmys, three Tonys, three Grammys, and three Golden Globes. The Governors Awards are known for honoring artists with exceptional careers who haven’t secured competitive Oscars, like last year’s recipient, Tom Cruise.
Ridley Scott, at 88, has also never won an Oscar despite receiving four nominations. Known for directing classic films such as Alien, Blade Runner, and Gladiator, Scott has left an indelible mark on both popular and prestige cinema.
Animator Floyd Norman, with a career spanning 65 years, started at Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1956. As the first Black animator for the studio, he contributed to films like Sleeping Beauty and Mary Poppins. Later, he worked on Mulan and Monsters, Inc., establishing himself as a pioneering figure in the industry.
The academy will also honor producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. This award is granted to “a creative producer whose body of work reflects a consistently high quality of motion picture production.” Vachon and Koffler, founders of Killer Films, have been instrumental in American independent cinema, working on films like Carol and Boys Don’t Cry.
The awards ceremony takes place on Nov. 15 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Ovation Hollywood, where the main Oscars ceremony is also held. This event has become a significant precursor to Hollywood’s awards season, with many new stars attending.
The Governors Awards honor individuals for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences in any discipline, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”