Samuel L Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullmann to receive Honorary Oscars

The Academy shared the news in a statement posted on its official website on Thursday. 

The award is given to ''honour extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy''. 

Veteran Hollywood actor Danny Glover will be felicitated with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. 

The award is bestowed upon an individual in the motion picture arts and sciences whose ''humanitarian efforts have brought credit to the industry''. 

The honours will be presented at the Academy's 12th Governors Awards ceremony, to be held on January 15, 2022. 

''We are thrilled to present this year’s Governors Awards to four honourees who have had a profound impact on both film and society,'' said Academy President David Rubin. ''Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose dynamic work has resonated across genres and generations and audiences worldwide, while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with movie lovers. 

''Liv Ullmann’s bravery and emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and Danny Glover’s decades-long advocacy for justice and human rights reflects his dedication to recognising our shared humanity on and off the screen,'' he added.