Producers of James Bond and Quincy Jones
The sibling Bond movie producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli have been selected to receive the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, writer-director Richard Curtis will be honored with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, and composer-producer Quincy Jones and casting director Juliet Taylor will be presented with honorary Oscars at the 2024 Governors Awards, as announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences on Wednesday.
The 15th annual Governors Awards, with honorees determined by the Academy’s board of governors at the conclusion of the 2023-2024 term following recent board elections, will take place at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 17.
“The recipients of this year’s Governors Awards have set a high standard throughout their remarkable careers, and the Academy’s board of governors is excited to acknowledge them with Oscars,” stated Academy president Janet Yang. “The selection of Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli recognizes their success as producers of the popular Bond series and their impact on the industry. Richard Curtis is a talented comedic storyteller whose significant humanitarian efforts embody the spirit of the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. Quincy Jones’ creative genius and lasting contributions have made him one of the most influential figures in music. Juliet Taylor has cast iconic and beloved films, shaping the field. Their deep love for cinema and lasting contributions to the art form make each of these five individuals truly deserving of these honors.”
The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, established in 1937 in honor of MGM’s legendary head of production in Hollywood’s early days, is presented to a producer or producing team whose work consistently reflects high-quality motion picture production. Previous recipients include notable figures such as Darryl F. Zanuck, Walt Disney, Samuel Goldwyn, Cecil B. DeMille, Alfred Hitchcock, Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy, and Frank Marshall. The award will now be in the form of the iconic Oscar statuette, per a recent vote by the Academy’s board of governors.
Wilson, aged 82, and Broccoli, aged 63, are the children of the original Bond film producer, Albert R. “Cubby” Broccoli (in partnership with Harry Saltzman), who received the Thalberg Award in 1981 and passed away in 1996. They took over Bond producing duties in the early ’90s from their father and have overseen every installment in the franchise since 1995’s GoldenEye.
(You can watch The Hollywood Reporter‘s 2017 Awards Chatter interview with Barbara Broccoli here.)
The Hersholt Award, introduced in 1956, is presented on occasion and has been awarded 44 times prior to this year. It recognizes an industry figure or organization that has made significant contributions to humanitarian causes. Previous recipients include Gregory Peck, Frank Sinatra, Oprah Winfrey, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Angelina Jolie, Michael J. Fox, and Michelle Satter. The criteria for the award were revised earlier this year to recognize an individual or organization whose humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry by promoting human welfare and addressing inequalities.
Curtis, aged 67, is renowned for his work in romantic comedies such as Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994), Notting Hill (1999), Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), and Love Actually (2003). In addition to his film work, he co-founded Comic Relief UK and USA, raising over $2 billion and supporting millions of people. He was involved in initiatives like Make Poverty History and Project Everyone, as well as the ethical investment campaign Make My Money Matter.
Honorary Oscars are awarded annually to recognize exceptional achievement in a lifetime of work, outstanding contributions to the field of motion picture arts and sciences, or significant service to the Academy. Recipients come from various film-related backgrounds, with some being well-known figures and others less recognized, some having received competitive Oscars and others not.
Jones, aged 91, has been in the industry for around 70 years and received the Hersholt Award in 1994. He has seven competitive Oscar nominations for his work on films like 1967’s In the Heat of the Night and In Cold Blood, 1978’s The Wiz, and 1985’s The Color Purple (for which he also received a best picture nomination).
(You can watch The Hollywood Reporter‘s 2018 Awards Chatter interview with Jones here.)
Taylor has cast over 100 films, including 43 of Woody Allen’s projects dating back to 1975’s Love and Death. Starting as a receptionist for Broadway figure David Merrick, she worked under casting director Marion Dougherty before making her mark casting films like The Exorcist, Taxi Driver, and Schindler’s List.