Donald Sutherland to receive honorary Oscar

LOS ANGELES — After a six-decade career in which he has won two Golden Globes, but no Oscar, Canadian actor Donald Sutherland is finally getting the golden statuette.

On Wednesday, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the 82 year old will be among four recipients of an honorary Oscar on Nov. 11. Writerdirector Charles Burnett, cinematographer Owen Roizman and director Agnes Varda will also get the honour at the Governors Awards.

The award honours “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the academy.”

Sutherland has brought a towering presence and distinctive baritone voice to

more than 140 films, including The Dirty Dozen, M*A*S*H, Invasion of the Body

Snatchers, Cold Mountain and The Hunger Games series. His other honours include an Emmy Award, a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award and an officer of the Order of Canada distinction.

He was in Rome filming a project and unavailable for comment on Wednesday, but in an email, his publicist said he was “thrilled.” He is due to attend this year’s Toronto International Film Festival to promote The Leisure Seeker, which also features Helen Mirren.

Sutherland, who grew up in Bridgewater, N.S., has five children who have pursued the craft, most notably 24 star Kiefer, who said in a 2016 interview that he is his father’s biggest fan. —