The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced today that its Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to actor Glenn Close, animator Floyd Norman and director Ridley Scott, and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award to producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler. The Oscar statuettes will be presented at the Academy’s 17th Governors Awards event on Sunday, November 15, 2026, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood, in partnership with Rolex.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to present this year’s Governors Awards to five remarkable individuals whose groundbreaking work has forever shaped the art of filmmaking,” said Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor. “Floyd Norman is the legendary animator who has broken barriers and inspired generations of artists over his remarkable career.”

An animator and storyboard artist, Norman began his esteemed 65-year career at Walt Disney Animation Studios in 1956, becoming the studio’s first Black animator. His first Disney feature film was “Sleeping Beauty” and he contributed to such classic feature films as “The Sword in the Stone,” “Mary Poppins,” “The Jungle Book” and “Robin Hood,” as well as the short films “Donald in Mathmagic Land,” “Goliath II” and “Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree.” Norman’s other notable film credits include “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” “Mulan,” “Toy Story 2” and “Monsters, Inc.”

The Honorary Award is given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences in any discipline, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

The 17th Governors Awards are presented in partnership with Rolex, the Exclusive Watch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Rolex is supporting the Governors Awards through its partnership with the Academy, reflecting its ongoing commitment to fostering excellence, achievement and the transfer of cinematic knowledge to the next generation.