An honorary Oscar for Ridley Scott and Glenn Close

Before the end of the year, the Academy will reward the two legends, but also the host Floyd Norman and the producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler.

The Academy of Oscars will honor several major figures of cinema during its next Governors Awards ceremony, scheduled for November 15, 2026 at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood. Among the winners: actress Glenn Close, director Ridley Scott and animator Floyd Norman, who will receive an honorary Oscar.

Producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, central figures of American independent cinema, will be rewarded with the prestigious Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.

For Glenn Close, this distinction has a particular flavor: the actress has accumulated eight Oscar nominations without ever having won a statuette, a record shared with Peter O’Toole in the history of performers. His career spans more than five decades, highlighted by roles in Fatal Connection Or Dangerous Liaisons or even in Mars Attacks!

Same observation for Ridley Scott, nominated several times without ever having won the Oscar for directing.

The British filmmaker, author of classics like Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator Or Thelma & Louisehowever, won the Oscar for best film as producer for Gladiator.

The Academy also salutes the career of Floyd Norman, the first black animator recruited by Disney in the 1950s, who worked on classics like Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book or even Mulan. Finally, the duo Christine Vachon / Pamela Koffler, founders of the company Killer Films, are rewarded for their major role in the development of American independent cinema, with titles like Boys Don’t Cry, Carol Or Past Lives.

These distinctions will be presented on the sidelines of the Oscars, during an evening dedicated to figures who have profoundly marked the history of cinema without always being rewarded by the official prize list.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is delighted to present this year’s Governors Awards to five exceptional individuals whose groundbreaking work has forever marked the art of cinema” rejoices the president of the Academy, Lynette Howell Taylor before detailing:

“Throughout her extraordinary body of work, Glenn Close has embodied some of cinema’s most complex characters with an unparalleled emotional range. Floyd Norman is the legendary animator who, during his remarkable career, pushed boundaries and inspired generations of artists. Sir Ridley Scott is a true visionary whose legacy, spanning decades, has had an immeasurable impact on global cinema and culture. Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler play a central role in American independent cinema, championing bold, ambitious and original storytelling.“