The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced the recipients of its next Governors Awards, with Glenn Close, Floyd Norman and Ridley Scott set to receive honorary Oscars. Producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler will be honored with the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.
The decision was made by the Academy’s board of governors during its final vote of the 2025-26 term. The group included figures such as Marlee Matlin, Ava DuVernay, Jason Reitman, Pam Abdy, Peter Kujawski, Hannah Minghella, Carter Burwell, Jason Blum and Larry Karaszewski.
The honorees will be celebrated at the Academy’s 17th annual Governors Awards, a black-tie event scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 15, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles.
Academy president Lynette Howell Taylor praised the five recipients, describing them as major contributors to the art of cinema. She highlighted Close’s ability to portray emotionally layered characters, Norman’s historic career as an animator and barrier-breaker, Scott’s long-standing influence on world cinema, and Vachon and Koffler’s role in supporting bold independent filmmaking.
The Academy presents honorary awards each year to recognize lifetime achievement in film. Past recipients have included Charlie Chaplin, Walt Disney, Greta Garbo, Cary Grant, Federico Fellini, Sidney Poitier, Steve Martin and Gena Rowlands, with Tom Cruise and Dolly Parton among last year’s honorees.
The Thalberg Award is given less frequently and honors producers or executives with a significant creative legacy. Previous recipients include Darryl F. Zanuck, David O. Selznick, Jack Warner, Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson. The Academy also occasionally presents the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for exceptional service to others.
Close, now 79, has been nominated for an acting Oscar eight times but has never won competitively. That puts her among the most nominated performers in Academy history without a win. While Peter O’Toole also received eight acting nominations without winning, he was later given an honorary Oscar in 2002. With this new honor, Close will finally receive an Oscar statuette after decades of acclaimed work.
