One of my pet peeves is when celeb-watchers and fans treat honorary Oscars as fake or somehow a marginalized version of a “real Oscar.” Those honorary Oscars are amazing, and many of your faves have honorary Oscars for lifetime achievement or humanitarian work. Plus, in recent years, recipients of the honorary Oscars get their own awards show, the Governors Awards. The Governors Awards are not televised, but they’re one of the hottest tickets in town and A-listers come out to support their friends. Now, would I prefer that some of those Governors Awards vibes were brought to the actual Oscars telecast? For sure. But those honorary award-winners get their own ceremony and they get a lot of time and space to really be celebrated. Speaking of, Angela Bassett will receive an honorary Oscar at the next Governors Awards. This comes after she lost this year’s Best Supporting Actress Oscar to Jamie Lee Curtis. That was her second Oscar nomination, and the Academy feels really bad that they never gave her an Oscar before now.
Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and Carol Littleton will receive honorary Oscars at this year’s Governors Awards, announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. In addition, the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards. The four statuettes will be presented at the 14th annual ceremony on Saturday, Nov. 18, 2023, in Los Angeles.
“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A pillar of the independent film community, Michelle Satter has played a vital role in the careers of countless filmmakers around the world.”
The Honorary Award is “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or outstanding service to the Academy.”
Would it have been nice for Angela to win an Oscar for a particular performance? Sure. I would have loved that, and I was rooting for her this year, when she was nominated for Wakanda Forever. Honestly, Jamie Lee shouldn’t have won this year, and I guess the Academy is sort of acknowledging that too. I’m really happy for Bassett – she’s had an amazing career for four decades, she’s still working constantly, and all of her friends and colleagues are going to come out to the Governors Awards to celebrate her. (Also: Mel Brooks already has an Oscar, but I understand why the Academy wanted to give him a lifetime achievement Oscar too.)
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.
Angela Bassett attending the EE BAFTA Awards 2023 at the Royal Festival Hall in Waterloo, London, United Kingdom.,Image: 757194666, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Cat Morley / Avalon 
PASADENA, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – FEBRUARY 25: American actress Angela Bassett, winner of the Entertainer of the Year award and Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series award for ‘9-1-1’ poses in the press room at the 54th Annual NAACP Image Awards held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium on February 25, 2023 in Pasadena, Los Angeles, California, United States.,Image: 758790218, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Angela Bassett, Credit line: Xavier Collin / Image Press Agency / Avalon 
Oscar® nominee Angela Bassett arrives on the red carpet of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.,Image: 762314804, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: TE / Avalon
Oscar® nominee Angela Bassett arrives on the red carpet of the 95th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 12, 2023.,Image: 762319998, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: sb / Avalon 
BEVERLY HILLS, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 13: (L-R) Slater Josiah Vance, Bronwyn Golden Vance, Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance attend the 2023 Vanity Fair Oscar Party hosted by Radhika Jones at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on March 12, 2023 in Beverly Hills, California.,Image: 763384378, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Slater Josiah Vance, Bronwyn Golden Vance, Angela Bassett, Cour, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon 
Beverly Hills, CA – Celebrities attend the Academy Awards 2023 Oscars Nominee Luncheon at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Pictured: Angela Bassett BACKGRID USA 13 FEBRUARY 2023 USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7pLHLnpmirJOdxm%2BvzqZmcWpja392e8Cnnp6kkZSvor%2FSnqutl6eeua2r0Z6anqGmmqyiur6hpqenopa%2FuqvOrJqaqo%2BbvLOry6KdnqyZorKgrcKhoJ6ulaKyr8CO