Updated

Updated · Variety · Jun 10

Academy Gives 5 Governors Awards to Glenn Close, Ridley Scott, Floyd Norman, Vachon and Koffler

Updated

Updated · Variety · Jun 10

Academy Gives 5 Governors Awards to Glenn Close, Ridley Scott, Floyd Norman, Vachon and Koffler

Q: With Close and Scott now honored, which Hollywood icon's lack of an Oscar remains the most glaring omission?

Stanley Kubrick now looks like the clearest answer. With Glenn Close and Ridley Scott receiving honorary Oscars, two of the Academy’s most conspicuous living omissions are being addressed. That shifts attention to figures whose influence on cinema is unquestioned but who still lack an Oscar in any form. Among them, Kubrick stands out because of both stature and résumé: he is routinely cited among the greatest directors in film history, made landmarks such as “2001: A Space Odyssey,” “A Clockwork Orange,” “The Shining” and “Full Metal Jacket,” and was nominated multiple times for Best Director without ever winning. He did win an Oscar for visual effects on “2001,” but never received the Academy’s top recognition for directing. Alfred Hitchcock is the other major contender. He was nominated five times for Best Director and never won competitively, though the Academy did later give him an honorary award. That honorary recognition makes his omission less stark than Kubrick’s, who still lacks that broader Academy correction. If the question is widened beyond directors to all Hollywood stars, Harrison Ford is often cited as the most glaring acting-side omission, given his singular box-office and cultural impact and just one nomination. But on overall film legacy, Kubrick remains the strongest choice.

3 articles · Updated · Variety · Jun 10

Five film figures will be honored at the Academy’s 17th Governors Awards on Nov. 15, with Glenn Close, Ridley Scott and Floyd Norman receiving Honorary Oscars and Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler taking the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.
Eight nominations without a win make Close’s honor especially notable, while Scott finally gets an Academy statuette after four Oscar nominations despite "Gladiator" winning best picture.
Norman’s selection recognizes a 65-year career that began in 1956 at Disney, where he became the studio’s first Black animator and later worked on films including "Sleeping Beauty," "The Jungle Book" and "Mulan."
Killer Films founders Vachon and Koffler are being recognized for three decades of independent filmmaking, with credits spanning "Boys Don’t Cry," "Carol" and 2024 best-picture nominee "Past Lives."