Michael J. Fox, Martin Short to receive Governor General’s achievement awards
Hollywood actor Michael J. Fox and comedian Martin Short lend a measure of celebrity appeal to the list of five Canadians recognized by the Governor General this year for a lifetime of achievement in the performing arts.
“It’s quite unexpected and yet it’s wonderful, really great,” Fox said in a video message screened at the announcement in Ottawa. “I’m going to bring my mother and I look forward to being there.”
“Any time you’re honoured by your home, it’s a bigger deal than most,” added Short in an interview, noting that he’s always happy to be in the company of Fox, whom he described as a “lovely guy.” Both actors also appeared in the campy 1996 comedy, Mars Attacks!
Fox, of course, is better known for the Back to the Future trilogy and his work in television, including roles on Family Ties and Spin City. The 55-year-old Edmonton native, who holds dual CanadianAmerican citizenship, is also being recognized for his humanitarian work in establishing a foundation for research into Parkinson’s disease, and his advocacy for people living with the neurodegenerative disorder. He’s been living with it since 1991.
Short, who was born in Hamilton 60 years ago, got his start in showbiz as a member of Toronto’s Second City Improv troupe and then SCTV before joining the cast of Saturday Night Live in 1984.
The other laureates announced for the 25th-anniversary edition of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards are Jean Beaudin, the veteran Quebec film and television director; Brigitte Haentjens, artistic director of the NAC’s French-language theatre department; and Yves Sioui Durand, the founder of Quebec’s first French-language aboriginal theatre company.
For Durand, the recognition is an important validation of his work. “It’s always difficult for an artist,” he said. “Sometimes you’re completely overwhelmed by doubt. It’s not easy. It’s a difficult path and you don’t do it for the money. But it’s important for my people, and it’s very important to give hope to the younger people, the next generation.”
Haentjens, who became the NAC’s first female artistic director of French theatre when she was hired in 2012, is no less thrilled at the Governor General’s accolade. “It’s the most important prize you can receive in the arts, so I feel very honoured,” she said. “It’s kind of a prize for everybody who has supported me during my working life. I’m very proud.”
Beaudin, meanwhile, has been sifting back through his 50-year career, and was blown away by the number of films in his catalogue, including some he’d forgotten. The good thing about the award, he said, is the applause from the film community. “They’re saying, ‘We like you, we like your films, we like what you’ve done.’ It’s very touching.”
The Governor General’s Awards also feature a mentor program designed to match past lifetime achievement winners with talented mid-career artists. This year’s mentor is the legendary ballet dancer Karen Kain, artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada, while her protégé will be choreographer and dancer Robert Binet, who is the national ballet company’s choreographic associate.
An additional award goes to Winnipeg entrepreneur William H. Loewen for his philanthropy. The Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for voluntarism in the performing arts pays tribute to Loewen’s support of the arts in Manitoba and beyond. In a video message, Loewen said he and his wife “had received more from the arts than we’ve ever given in time or money.”
A gala celebrating the laureates takes place at the National Arts Centre on June 29. Tickets are on sale at the NAC box office in Ottawa, and through Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 or www.ticketmaster.ca.