Jackie Chan’s never been nominated for an Oscar. That’s at least partially because the Academy tends to turn a blind eye to martial arts-infused action comedies, which is its loss. However, Hollywood’s governing body hasn’t entirely ignored the fact that Chan is an icon, as The Rush Hour star is getting an honorary prize at this year’s Governors Awards. He’s also the second highest-paid actor in the world on Forbes’ list this year, so it’s not a bad time to be Jackie Chan.
Chan joins an eclectic group of four honorary Oscar recipients this year, two of whom worked behind the scenes to shape beloved movies: Anne V. Coates was the editor on such titles as Lawrence Of Arabia and Erin Brockovich, and Lynn Stalmaster was the casting director of In The Heat Of The Night, The Graduate, and Deliverance. (Those titles, which were listed in the Academy’s announcement, only scratch the surface; she also worked on Weekend At Bernie’s and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze.
The fourth and final trophy is going to the documentarian Frederick Wiseman of such films as Titicut Follies and, most recently, In Jackson Heights.