Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May, and Liv Ullman will be presented with honorary Oscars, along with Danny Glover who will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the Governors Awards, a separate non-televised ceremony to be held before The Oscars, on January 15 of next year.
The Academy Honorary Award, introduced in 1950 for the 23rd Academy Awards, is given annually by the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). The award celebrates achievements and distinctions not covered by existing Academy Awards, as well as extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions, or outstanding service to the academy.
“Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers,” said President Academy President David Rubin. “Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover’s decades-long advocacy for justice and human rights reflects his dedication to recognizing our shared humanity on and off the screen.”
The four honorees, all screen legends in their own right, have not previously received an Academy Award. May, 89, half of the legendary comedy team Nichols & May with Mike Nichols, has been nominated twice for writing (“Heaven Can Wait” in 1978 and “Primary Colors” in 1997). Ullman, 82, was nominated twice for best actress (Ingmar Berman’s “Face to Face” in 1976 and Jan Troell’s “The Emigrants” in 1971). Jackson, 72, whose films throughout the years have accounted for some 27 billion in box office, has been nominated for supporting actor (Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” in 1994).
Glover hasn’t been nominated by the Academy. The 74-year-old actor has starred in “The Color Purple,” “To Sleep With Anger,” “A Rage in Harlem” and the “Lethal Weapon” series. He has also been a tireless activist in his native San Francisco, a Civil Rights advocate, a UN Goodwill Ambassador and a father-figure to a new generation of filmmakers, appearing in recent films like “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” and “Sorry to Bother You.”