On Oscar's Honorary Statues: Who Gets Them, Who Still Waits?
Wednesday, August 3, 2011 at 11:40AM ... mogul OPRAH WINFREY (The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award), actor JAMES EARL JONES (Honorary Oscar) and makeup artist DICK SMITH (Honorary Oscar).
I heard this in the wee hours of the AM this morning but didn't have time to ponder it whilst collapsing from a day spent swooning over Judy Garland (♥♥♥♥) and then Sufjan Stevens at "Celebrate Brooklyn".
Several hours later after a good night's sleep the news makes much more sense to me because last night I thought they'd given Oprah a regular honorary Oscar -- most of the headlines are saying just that -- and I was pissed. For the record, though a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award looks just like an Oscar, it's actually a statue commemorating your humanitarian endeavors rather than your screen work. And few would argue that Oprah isn't deserving once you make that distinction. I think the Jean Hersholt statue shouldn't look the same as a regular Oscar so it gets confusing.
The Color OprahAnd really a regular Honorary Oscar wouldn't have surprised me. The Academy, much like the rest of the world, tends to think that celebrity = deserve. But really fame should have much less to do with who gets Honorary Oscars than that person's contribution to the cinema. And really what has Oprah ever done to warrant a regular Oscar? If you say The Color Purple I'd have to smack you upside the head with a Margaret Avery (The Color Purple) or an Anjelica Huston (Prizzi's Honor) and then if you're still trying to say "The Color Purple" a mandatory viewing of The Kiss of Spider Woman is in order. Brazil's non-nominated Sonia Braga was AMAZING thrice over (multi-part performance) in that film. Can I get an amen?
The makeup artist Dick Smith already has an Oscar for Amadeus (1984) but maybe they felt he needed an honorary since just maybe he was the one on the makeup team that put cotton balls in Marlon Brando's mouth for The Godfather and he also did fine comic work on Death Becomes Her which we love and which Oscar mostly ignored.
Though really, should a previous winner ever get an honorary?
Here's why the repeats are problems. In the past 30 years only 4 actresses have won honoraries and one of them, Sophia Loren, already had a competitive statue. The Academy has screwed over a lot of female screen icons over the years so why double reward someone when so many greats are still denied? Oscar's contempt for women -- remember they rarely let them present Best Picture either -- seems to be getting worse. Since the glorious early 90s when Sophia Loren, Deborah Kerr and Myrna Loy won them in quick succession, only Lauren Bacall has been so honored. ONLY ONE ACTRESS SINCE 1994. In that same time span, 1994 to now, 5 actors have been so honored and one of them (Sidney Poitier) already had an Oscar. We complain about this every year but there's a long list of actressy screen icons who never won an Oscar and whose screen contributions and legacies are undeniable. Chief among them I'd argue are Catherine Deneuve and Mia Farrow. They'll both turn 70 soon -tick-tock, tick-tock.
One of the greatest filmographies in the business. Still challenging herself well into her 60s. Deneuve for the Honorary Gold.
But there are also other past nominees with rich Hollywood histories -- names in bold are still alive -- including (Angela Lansbury, Doris Day, Natalie Wood, Ava Gardner, Irene Dunne, Gena Rowlands, Eleanor Parker) and some with rich filmographies who were never so much as nominated (Maureen O'Hara, Marilyn Monroe) and there's the current working aging crop who they're obviously going to pass on competitively (Annette Bening, Julianne Moore, Michelle Pfeiffer ...maybe Glenn Close if it doesn't happen this year) and who are more than deserving of these "thank you for your career" prizes.
Come to think of it, if AMPAS was smart about honoraries they could stop voting for competitive prizes as cumulative honors and just reserve those 'you were never THE best of any particular year' people for the honorary statues. You know Meryl Streep is more likely to get an Honorary than any of these women and she already has two!
Congratulations to this year's recipients! Honestly, I'm not throwing shade on them. Don't misunderstand. It's just the Academy has so many blind spots with their honorary prizes we'd like them to see the eye doctor before they lose their sight entirely.
WHO WOULD YOU GIVE AN HONORARY TO?
Reader Comments (61)
No, b/c you're not an actor. She is. As well as an Academy member and former nominee. For the board of governers, that was seemingly enough. It's about the charitable work and not the long acting career to them. The hatred spewed about Oprah lately has been sickening, and she didn't pick herself for this, nor has she declined it.
Ryan Crowe -- I agree with you completely. It would be nice if all actors/actresses who are at the top of their field could be recognized equally in both casting and awards. I know that's unrealistic, but with all of our individual tastes and preferences, it would compel us to be so much more objective regarding performances rather than political in judgment, which we may do sometimes unknowingly. Streep with her physical mimicry, Close with her emotional depth, Lange with her natural persona, et al., the best could've been recognized evenly over the years. It's like Gary Oldman getting the shaft so far. I'm not really into his work, but I DO recognize his talent. He should've had at least a couple of nods by now.
Oprah has given a lot to charities, that isn't disputed. But the fact remains that the Oscars are an organization that is devoted to FILM and gives awards to people involved in FILM. Someone involved primarily in TELEVISION should not be receiving an award from the Academy. One nomination is enough? Lets face it, she is Oprah and Oprah gets what Oprah wants.
Somebody mentioned that Glenn Close had two dream projects: Albert Nobbs and Mary Stuart. Back in the late 90s Glenn and Meryl Streep were trying to produce an adaptation of Schiller's play, but it never came to happen. Meryl would have played Mary Stuart and Close would have been Queen Elizabeth I. Does anybody know if this is back on track? Do you think that Streep (who is friends with Close) will join her?
You can read about the original plans here:
http://www.simplystreep.com/site/career/considered/
You know, actresses like Doris Day and Angela Lansbury and Maureen O'Hara and Kim Novak probably won't be with us too much longer. Case in point: Jill Clayburgh. These Oscarless actresses need to be honored soon before it is too late. Honoring Jones and Winfrey is a joke.
I forgot to add Gena Rowlands to that list of actresses. These women in all probability will never be nominated again for an Oscar. Wake up, Hollywood.
FILM FANS CAN PROPOSE RECIPIENTS! I think it was somebody in Facebook who mentioned to me that there's a form (quite complicated I must admit) for people who are only film fans and not Members of AMPAS to suggest recipients of Special Oscars to the Board of Directors. She gave me a link but I can't find it. In any case, the Academy must be aware of what people want.
Jeff Downs posted something about the Academy not giving DORIS DAY a Special Oscar because she would not agree to make an appearance at the Ceremony. I KIND OF understand that rationale, but Mary Pickford for one did not appear at the Ceremony to pick up hers. "It would have been too much excitment for her," said the husband.
In any case, obviously the Academy must be aware of what people want. No need for petitons, right?
Daniel -- great points. hopefully Oscar will listen.
Marcos -- i'll have to look into this form thing.
Marcos -- I mentioned the dream projects of Close. I don't know if Mary Stuart is still in her sights, but considering she's spent over 25 years waiting to see Albert Nobbs realized makes me believe she hasn't given up on Mary Stuart. Besides, her co–star, Janet McTeer, won a Drama Desk Award for it as well as earned a Tony nomination a couple of years ago. That might ignite her fire a bit. Maybe those two should make a film version! I know Streep was a part of the equation back in 1997. At that time, Close was still reprising her Norma Desmond role, but she still didn't have enough pull I suppose. I don't know how it all works, except that politics are rampant. Let's hope Albert Nobbs does well, and perhaps Mary Stuart (or some other pet project) will come to fruition.
Andy -- Mary Stuart was going to be a film version of the play. I also found an article that says that at one point Streep bowed out and Isabelle Huppert was supposed to play Mary Stuart.
Marcos -- I don't know much else. I just hope Close can win the Oscar (on merit, of course). She really studies and thereby personifies her characters, making them real.