One of Hollywood’s best actors of the last half-century will be honored with an honorary Oscar at this year’s Academy Awards—the wonderful Donald Sutherland. The Canadian-born actor, also the father of fellow actor Kiefer Sutherland, is now 82 years old.
In his six-decade career, Sutherland has previously won two Golden Globes, but never managed to nab even a single Oscar nomination, despite a plethora of fitting roles from the 1960s onward. He’ll join writer-director Charles Burnett, cinematographer Owen Roizman and director Agnes Varda in receiving the awards at the Nov. 11 Governor’s Awards.
Sutherland’s career has often been characterized by his intensity, and the actor has portrayed a range of characters who are often troubled, morose or otherwise mentally unhinged, in films such as the devastating 1975 drama The Day of the Locust or the psychological horror classics Don’t Look Now and Invasion of the Body Snatchers. However, he also did appear in the occasional comedy, such as his memorable turn as a pot-smoking teacher in Animal House, not to mention his most recent blockbuster appearances as antagonist President Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games franchise. For decades, Sutherland has managed to reinvent himself and stay in demand as an actor.
Now, he’ll receive the honorary Academy Award, which honors “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the academy.” Few have done more to earn such an honor.