Chat show queen Oprah Winfrey and actor James Earl Jones are to receive honorary Oscars, it has been announced. Winfrey, who was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar in 1985 for The Colour Purple, will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her philanthropic work. While Jones, along with makeup artist Dick Smith, will receive awards for their outstanding careers.
The prizes will be handed out the Governors Awards in November. Although best known for her long-running chat show, Winfrey has also lent her voice to several films in recent years including The Princess and the Frog, Bee Movie and Charlotte’s Web.
Her philanthropic efforts include the Oprah Winfrey Foundation and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, which opened in South Africa in 2007. Jones, who is best known as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars film, has appeared in more than 50 films during his career and was Oscar nominated in 1971 for The Great White Hope. His other credits include Field of Dreams, Patriot Games and The Hunt for Red October.
Known in the industry as “the godfather of makeup”, Smith won an Oscar in 1984 for his work on Amadeus.
He also worked on The Exorcist, Taxi Driver and The Deer Hunter.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said the honorary awards are given to individuals for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy”.
