An honorary Oscar for director Mel Brooks and actress Angela Basset

2024-01-10 13:02:32

By Le Figaro with AFP

Posted 35 minutes ago

Mel Brooks and Angela Bassett received an honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, January 9, 2024. ROBYN BECK / AFP

The master of Hollywood comedy cinema and the actress known for her interpretation of Tina Turner in the cinema received the golden statuette during a ceremony which took place in Los Angeles on Tuesday January 9.

At 97, American director Mel Brooks accepted an honorary Oscar on Tuesday for his entire body of work, more than half a century after winning his only Oscar for the film The producers in which he ridiculed Hitler.

During a gala evening, Mel Brooks, who has also denounced racial bigotry in other films like The sheriff is in jailjoked that he was remorseful over the fate of his previous Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. “I really miss him. I should never have sold it.”he said. “I will not sell this one, I swear to God”he said.

Master of Hollywood comedy cinema, notably cultivating bad taste, Mel Brooks is one of the few to have won the greatest awards in American entertainment. He received his honorary Oscar at the Governors Awards, organized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which each year honor four beloved industry veterans, many of whom did not receive awards at the Regular Oscars.

Angela Bassett, second black actress in history to win an honorary Oscar

Twice nominated for the Oscars, Angela Bassett, 64, known in particular for her incarnation of Tina Turner in the eponymous biopic released in 1993 in What’s Love Got to Do With It and Queen Ramonda in 2022 superhero sequel Black Panther : Wakanda Foreveralso received an honorary Oscar.

Eclectic, the actress has also played in action films like The White House fall et Mission Impossible : Falloutthe horror series American Horror Story and even lent her voice to Michelle Obama in The simpsons. Noting that she was only the second black actress to win an honorary Oscar, after Cicely Tyson, Angela Bassett paid tribute to other black Hollywood pioneers like Hattie McDaniel, who won an Oscar for Gone with the wind In 1940.

It would be another half century before McDaniel would be followed by actress Whoopi Goldberg. “My wish is that we leave this industry more enriched, forward-thinking and inclusive than we found it”said Angela Bassett.