FYC: 20 People Who'd Make Great Honorary Oscar Recipients!
Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 11:30AM by Nathaniel R
Over the years The Film Experience has provided the Academy with brilliant ideas for Honorary Oscars that they've ignored until it was too late and the worthy recipient died. We're talking luminaries like movie stars Max Von Sydow, Albert Finney, and Doris Day, cinematographer Michael Ballhaus, and voice artist Marni Nixon. (At least they heard us on Maureen O'Hara, Harry Belafonte, Liv Ullman, David Lynch, and Angela Lansbury in time!). So here we are again trying to sway them. They make such strange decisions. Why did Sophia Loren who was already a (deserving) Oscar winner, need an Honorary when she was only in her fifties? Why did they refuse to honor Doris Day because (the rumor is) they knew she wouldn't show but then went ahead and honored Jean Luc Godard who they also knew would never show?
For our suggestions we're limiting ourselves to people over 70... though you could make valid cases for several late 50something or 60somethings if you wanted to like Michelle Pfeiffer, Eddie Murphy, Jim Carrey, Antonio Banderas, Willem Dafoe, Hugh Grant, directors Sam Raimi and Todd Haynes, producer Christine Vachon, or craftspeople like costume designer Sharen Davis or composer Marc Shaiman.
20 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE HONORARY OSCAR...
JEAN HERSHOLT HUMANITARIAN AWARD
Superstar Dolly Parton She has a few major films in her resume (Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Nine to Five, Steel Magnolias) and has written songs for other features too. But for decades she's also been the shining example of using celebrity for good. She helped bring the world the COVID vaccine, has raised or donated regularly to support Tennesse's education and medical facilities including children's literacy, college scholarships, and women's health wards and new hospitals and donations for existing hospitals.
JEAN HERSHOLT or REGULAR HONORARY OSCAR
Actor Sir Ian McKellen - A two time Oscar nominee (Lord of the Rings, Gods and Monsters) and a gay icon and advocate for LGBTQ rights. Oscar has not been kind to the gays in so very many ways over the decades so this would be a smart gesture. Not to mention that he should already be a competitive Oscar winner! He turns 83 this month.
REGULAR HONORARY OSCAR
Director Zhang Yimou - He's 72 and has a enviable amount of classics under his belt. He's been up thrice for the Best Foreign Film Award (Hero, Ju Dou, Raise the Red Lantern) and should have been up for the prize more often than that. What's more none of his films have taken that prize despite all three nominations being quite deserving. Oscar has also given more of his movies random nominations in craft departments like Shanghai Triad, House of Flying Daggers, and Curse of the Golden Flower. In addition to his regularly sensational movies, he's helped boost or shape the legends of global superstars like Michelle Yeoh, Gong Li, Zhang Ziyi, and Tony Leung. He would be an absolutely perfect fit for this prize.
Production Designer Bo Welch. He was nominated four times across very dissimilar pictures: The Color Purple, Men in Black, The Birdcage, and A Little Princess. What's more those were hardly his only deserving designs. Other films include Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, Thor, and Beetlejuice. Bonus points: If you honor Bo Welch, you get Emmy winning brilliant comic actress Catherine O'Hara (his wife) in attendance at your events.
Legend Catherine Deneuve -She's a total screen icon and former nominee (Indochine). What's more her bonafide classics stretch across four decades (1960s-2000s) and she's still acting, too, and often with fine or challenging directors in France. She's 78 which is a perfect age for Honoraries; That's old enough to be unlikely as a competitive winner but young enough to truly enjoy the honor.
Movie Star Harrison Ford. While he never had the dramatic ambition that can help make you an Oscar favourite, he's also a better actor than he ever get credit for since he always made movie star magnetism and carrying entire films look easy. Most crucially, in terms of the Honorary, is that he's a genuine global movie icon. He helped create two household name characters (Indiana Jones and Han Solo) and he totally earned that one Oscar nomination for Witness (1985). Other notable classics in his filmography beyond Witness, Star Wars, and Raiders include The Conversation, Bladerunner, Working Girl, The Fugitive, American Graffiti, and Apocalypse Now. He's 79 years old
Actress Glynis Johns - She was only nominated once (The Sundowners) but she has a really fun filmography across several decades (Mary Poppins, While You Were Sleeping, The Court Jester, The Ref). Plus she was one-of-a kind on the screen. She turns 99 this year and we've been suggesting her for a decade now. What is the problem? Is it that she wasn't a big enough star? If so they should reconsider their parameters since character actors are also worthy of honors.
Directors John Waters & David Cronenberg- Like David Lynch, who was just awarded, they're singular filmmakers. It would be a daring nod to truly maverick filmmakers who create their own worlds onscreen and change the culture and/or influence other filmmakers and genres. The fact that they've embraced "trash" (Waters) and 'disreputable' subgenres (body horror) well outside of Oscar's interest (Cronenberg) is a perfect reason to go the "Honorary" route since the general voting body, enamored of prestige dramas, is never going to go there. They are 76 and 79 years old respectively.
Cinematography Caleb Deschanel. He's been nominated six times (The Right Stuff, The Natural, Fly Away Home, The Patriot, The Passion of the Christ, Never Look Away) and was a strong DP right out of the gate with unnominated work in late 70s early 80s classics like The Black Stallion, Being There, and Personal Best. He has yet to win gold at 77. Bonus points: he also brought us Zooey Deschanel and Emily Deschanel.
Producer/Director Ridley Scott - Always a bridesmaid at the Oscars (4 nominations) despite unassailable classics like Blade Runner, Thelma & Louise, and Alien and a Best Picture winner in Gladiator. Plus he makes movies that awards bodies continueto notice in random ways (The Martian, House of Gucci, American Gangster). And on top of that he is a super active producer of other filmmakers work, too. Though he's 84 years old he still makes movies regularly. Oscar take note: He's not going to live forever!
Actresses Sigourney Weaver and Glenn Close. Sigourney was an Oscar darling in the 1980s (Aliens, Working Girl, and Gorillas in the Mist) and they missed a great chance to reward her in the 1990s (The Ice Storm). Glenn was an even bigger Oscar darling in the 1980s (5 nominations) and in the 2010s returned to their favour (3 more nominations!). Sigourney is 72 and Glenn is 75. They've both made legendary films and created indisputably iconic characters. They're regularly brilliant and skilled in both drama and comedy. This should be a no brainer. Why wait until they're both in their 90s?
Production Designer Jeannine Oppewall. She was nominated for LA Confidential, Pleasantville, Seabiscuit, and The Good Shepherd. Her filmography also includes good looking pictures like Catch Me If You Can, The Bridges of Madison Country, Snow Falling on Cedars, Wonder Boys, and Desert Hearts. She's 75
Actor James Hong. Okay jumping on the bandwagon for this one. But he's back in the spotlight thanks to his small grandfather role in Everything Everywhere All At Once. He's the very definition of "enduring character actor" and given that Oscar is starting to recognize actors of color whose film careers weren't as gigantic as their talent deserved due to lack of opportunity (recently: Wes Studi and Cicely Tyson), he'd be a good choice. He has been doing supporting roles in movies for literally 65 years. In addition to arguably his best known role in Big Trouble in China and numerous other genre films that Oscar wouldn't have ever been interested in, he's made contributions to numerous films that Oscar voters did like including Flower Drum Song, The Sand Pebbles, The Hawaiians, Chinatown, Mulan, and Blade Runner.
Costume Designer Michael Kaplan He's never been nominated but that's not from lack of talent but the Academy's blindspots. His most famous films tended to be in contemporary-set style pictures like Flashdance, Burlesque, Mr & Mrs Smith, Miami Vice, and Fight Club or broad well-loved comedies like Big Business and Clue. His crowning jewel was surely sensational Oscar-worthy work in Blade Runner (underappreciated when it first premiered) but he's costumed several other famous sci-fi fantasy or franchise pictures too (3 Star Wars pictures, 2 Star Trek pictures, 1 Mission: Impossible) Age unknown so we're assuming he's in his 70s?
Actor Ed Harris. Like Glenn Close people always just assumed he'd win and then it never happened. He's been nominated 4 times (Apollo 13, The Hours, Pollock, and The Truman Show) and should have won already. And that's just the roles Oscar noticed. He's been working non-stop since the late 70s and he's super dependable. Other fine performances include: Swing Shift, Mother!, A History of Violence, A Beautiful Mind, Glengarry Glen Ross, The Abyss. He has a brief role in this summer's Top Gun Maverick. He's 71.
Actress Alfre Woodard. The Academy is running out of black superstars of typical Honorary Oscar age (again... living people over 70) since they've been making up for lost time in that regard. We doubt they'd go for Diana Ross since she retired so long ago and only had a short film career so their most famous and underhonored option is surely enduring brilliant character actress Alfre Woodard. She turns 70 later this year, she is a former nominee (Cross Creek) and surely almost snagged a second nomination for Passion Fish a decade late. She was worthy yet again very recently for Clemency (2019) though Oscar voters didn't notice. She's been at it since the 1970s and is remarkably consistent. She's game for so many different genres and sizes of roles. The Emmys have noticed, regularly honoring her, but Oscar has yet to say hello a second time.
Actor Bruce Dern & Actress Diane Ladd. She's 86 and he's about to be. They haven't been a couple in quite some time but their careers are similar in that they've both been up for Oscars multiple times and have had incredible careers that have stretched across decades with fine work in classic films by important filmmakers. Plus they gave the world the inimitable Laura Dern. Why should Laura be the only Oscar winner in her family?
Who is your dream for an Honorary Oscars this year? They'll be held on Saturday, November 19th.
Reader Comments (26)
Mia Farrow
Not one bad idea here, Nathaniel. Great piece.
Harvey Keitel
This is a good time for James Hong. I've been saying it for years he deserves it.
Harrison Ford seems like a good candidate as well for honorary.
I feel like Weaver and Close for get it too, but in like 10 years from now. Whenever they make a movie, they still show up in predictions for awards so if people think they still have a chance, they will have to wait. People are already expecting Weaver to get traction from Avatar 2.
I would add Jamie Lee Curtis to the list. She does multiple genres (horror, comedy, action) that are not always respected by the Academy. We have to start to champion for her now or it might not happen.
Mike Leigh, while we still can.
Did they ever upload the speeches from the last recipients? I need to see Elaine May, I'm sure she was hilarious.
James Hong for sure. All of these are great, but Hong's long career is what honorary Oscars are for. Dolly Parton for the Jean Hersholt award is a perfect choice as well.
The honorary Oscar can be seen by some as a let-down. See Peter O'Toole. He thought he still was acting and had a chance to earn a "real" Oscar. Wonder if Glenn Close would feel the same way? She's been nominated multiple times - rightfully so, imo - but has not been awarded one. Would she feel like an honorary Oscar would be a concession or a worthy acknowledgement?
I'd like someone like James Hong to receive it. Looking at all he had been in, an honorary Oscar would be a true representation of a life's work.
A really great list esp Cronenberg and Ford.
I still hope Glenn will win her Oscar someday and have high hopes for Weaver in Mothering Gardener plus they have never loved Sigourney the way most people do.
JLC would be a great pic since her parents never won.
Love how you stick with Glynis Johns. That'd be wonderful. And James Hong would be a similarly deserving nominee. Beyond them I really wish they'd pick John Waters. I can't see it happening, but oh if only! As to who could/should get one - why doesn't Harrison Ford already have one? It's baffling to me that they haven't already honored him (and his extremely profitable franchises) that way.
Eric Idle who made some of the most hilarious songs (and co-wrote some of the most hilarious screenplays) in film history... I mean... "Always look on the bright side of life", "Knights of the Round Table" or "Every Sperm is Sacred"... too late for giving it to the whole Monty Python, only 2/3 are still alive.
Frank Oz... excells as directing (Little Shop of Horrors), Actor and puppeteer (Yoda!!! Miss Piggy!!!) co creator fo the Muppets... I mean... his whole filmmography has barely any Oscar love and is one of the USA's kings of comedy.
John Carpenter... director, writer, composer... iconic on all counts. His whole filmmography as director scores ONE single nomination (Starman, Lead Actor, Jeff Bridges). Overdue to exhasutation...
Among your pics... Yimou stands out for me. Then Weaver. But agree on all of them
Laura Dern's been flexing her muscle on the board of governors for the last several years now, so I wouldn't blame her one bit for pushing for getting Honorary Oscars for her parents, as very obvious as that should be to the board. Otherwise, I think the strongest listed candidate would be Deneuve, but I'd like to add 2 Oscar-less Normans to be considered: Lear and Jewison.
Edward James Olmos is beyond deserving, I think. I also support all your suggestions, especially Glynnis Johns.
I should add... John Travolta. I mean, despite all the controversy around him... he's a living icon, a living legend that has been nominated only twice, despite having performances like...
Saturday Night Fever
Grease
Blow Out
Pulp Fiction
Get Shorty
She's so lovely
Swordifsh (just that opening monologue alone would deserve the nom)
Primary Colors
A Civil Action
From Paris with Love (a riot)
Hairspray
... off the top of my head, a list of Oscar nomination performances (I enjoyed HIS performance in Face/Off, way more than Cage's, for the matter, and Phenomenom was a very good, hyped performance in a subpar film)
For the Directors, I would say Mel Brooks, Wong Kar-wai, Werner Herzog and John Carpenter are all good candidates.
For the actors, Christopher Lloyd, Steve Buscemi, and Tony Leung Chiu-wai.
For the actresses, Jamie Lee Curtis, Mia Farrow, and then Michelle Pfeiffer to go with Close/Weaver as the 80s-popularised all-time stars.
Two Oscar-nominated South American actresses: Norma Aleandro and Fernanda Montenegro.
I love Jamie Lee Curtis as a person, though she needs to stop the weird attacks on Marvel. I don't like Marvel movies either, but even I'm like... come on, Jamie Lee. Calm down.
In terms of her acting, she's really not Oscar league. Sorry. Hollywood walk of fame, maybe, but with the possible exception of LOVE LETTERS way back in the mid 80s, she's never come close to deserving an Oscar.
As for Mia Farrow, now SHE's done a lot of Oscar worthy work. But everyone in Hollywood over 60, which is the Academy's power base, knows she's crazy. There's a reason so many people in Woody Allen films got nominated but she never did. Her bad reputation goes back to the 60s. Maybe the #metoo movement that's raised her stock while cratering Allen's will generate some goodwill, but I still think there are too many people who remember.
Not a bad suggestion here, and I love the idea of having Dolly Parton receive the JH award.
Kudos for sticking up for Glynis Johns and Bo Welch.
I'm surprised they haven't already done Catherine Denueve.
I would add my support for Norman Jewison. "Heat of the Night" and "Moonstruck" still stand.
I'm constantly mystified that the Academy don't copy the Kennedy Centre and do an evening where they televise a very watchable tribute to Honourary Awards winners. (they lack brains)
Is Isabelle Huppert too young to receive an Honorary? Ditto Isabelle Adjani.
If there is a maverick wing in the Academy that honored David Lynch (and yes co-sign on Cronenberg and Waters as honorees), how about honoring Kenneth Anger while he is still alive? Probably too outré for the Academy.
Pam Grier!
Dan H -- respectfully but wildly disagree. I think Jamie Lee Curtis is a master comedienne and history would have looked kindly on nominations for True Lies, Fish Called Wanda, or Freaky Friday for example. In both cases she was stronger and more inspired than some of the people they went with. And she's fantastic in EEATO at the moment, too.
DK -- she was almost on the list and then i thought i should stop at 20
Owl -- no but I figured they wouldn't need my push on Huppert since her stock has risen so much this past decade.
Lady Edith -- you're absolutely right. it's beyond strange/dumb that they don't build an event out of it.
So many good suggestions! Many are no-brainers to me. A few others that haven't been named yet:
Steve Martin
Malcolm McDowell
Liam Neeson (turns 70 this year)
Lily Tomlin
Bruce Willis!
Peter -- Steve Martin got his in 2014 (otherwise i would have included him!)
Still think that’s it’s too early to award an Honorary Oscar to Sigourney Weaver, Glenn Close or Alfre Woodard. Seems that those three will eventually get their due.
My choice would be for Shelley Duvall. She was triumphant throughout the 70s and early/mid 80s. Still seems under-appreciated for her work in Three Women and The Shining. Just for the 24/7 Kubrick nightmare that she had to endure is grounds enough to thank her for her contribution to films…
Any doubters about a televised tribute to Honourary Oscar winners should watch 3 clips.
1. Kennedy Centre tribute to Meryl Streep (Wow)
2. Kennedy Centre tribute to Shirley MacLaine (Amazing!)
3. Oscar tribute to Lauren Bacall (?)
Contrast and Compare. Now tell me this isn't a missed opportunity.
(Kudos to Kennedy Centre for great entertainment and showmanship)
I would award a joint Honorary Oscar to Katharine Ross and Sam Elliott, presented to them by their daughter and only child.
In the same vein, I'd agree with Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd receiving one too, presented to them by Laura.
Beyond that, Bruce Willis also deserves one for all his work before the last decade. Harrison Ford too.
I agree with Cal Roth's recommendation of Norma Aleandro and Fernanda Montenegro.
I wouldn't award one to Glenn Close just yet. She still has a lot of performances in her that can net her an Oscar in competition. (Same with Michelle Pfeiffer, Alfre Woodard, and Sigourney Weaver)
As for directors, John Woo deserves a mention. Paul Schrader too.