Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks are set to receive honorary Oscars

Angela Bassett and Mel Brooks are set to receive honorary Oscars at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 2023 Governors Awards. declared Monday. Best Cinematographer Carol Littleton will also be honored with an award.

The honorary Oscar statuette, voted on by the Board of Governors, is presented to honor lifetime achievements, contributions to the motion picture industry, or service to the Academy.

The Academy will present the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to Sundance founding director Michael Sater at the Governors Awards in November.

„The Academy’s Board of Governors is pleased to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and film fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang.

Bassett, whose acting career has spanned nearly four decades, is known for her memorable roles in the 1993 Tina Turner biopic „What’s Love Got to Do With It” and 2022’s Marvel’s „Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

She earned her first Oscar nomination for her portrayal of Turner, and her second for her performance as Queen Ramonda in „Black Panther” — making her the first actor to be nominated for an Oscar for a Marvel film, according to the Academy.

„Throughout her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has consistently delivered transcendent performances that set new standards in acting,” said Yang.

Mel Brooks, who celebrates his 97th birthday on Wednesday, directed, produced and starred in beloved Hollywood comedies including „Blazing Saddles,” „History of the World, Part 1,” „Young Frankenstein” and „The Producers.”

The Hollywood legend won the 1969 Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for „The Producers” and two Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay („Young Frankenstein”) and Best Original Song („Blazing Saddles”).

„Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor,” Yang said. „His legacy has had a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment.”

Littleton has been recognized for his achievements in film editing, including his work on Steven Spielberg’s „ET the Extra-Terrestrial,” for which he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Film Editing. He is also known for his work in films like „Body Heat”, „The Big Chill” and „Beloved”.

„Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her,” Yang said in the news release.

Chater is being honored for her commitment to supporting independent artists through the Sundance Institute, which she has been a part of since its inception in 1981. He led the company’s global efforts, building a community of independent filmmakers in countries across Asia and Europe. , Latin America and the Middle East.

According to the Academy, Chater helped shepherd projects by Oscar-winning filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino, Damian Chazelle and Taika Waititi.

„A pillar of the independent film community, Michelle Chatter has played a vital role in the lives of countless filmmakers around the world,” said Yang.