For years, Glenn Close has been at the center of one of Hollywood’s most frustrating conversations. How does one of the greatest actresses of all time still not have an Oscar? That question may finally have an answer. The Academy has announced that Glenn Close will receive an Honorary Oscar at the 2026 Governors Awards, ending one of the longest-running debates in awards season history. While it may not be a competitive win, it is still the golden statuette that many believe should have arrived years, if not decades, ago.
And honestly, it’s about time.
Close has been nominated for eight Academy Awards throughout her career, a staggering achievement on its own. Yet somehow, she has never walked away with a win. From Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liaisons to The Wife and Albert Nobbs, she has consistently delivered performances that defined their era.
The most heartbreaking near-miss came in 2019.
After dominating much of awards season for her performance in The Wife, many believed the Oscar was finally hers. Instead, the award went to Olivia Colman for The Favourite in one of the biggest surprises of the night. Even today, fans still debate whether that was one of the Academy’s most shocking upsets.
The irony is that Glenn Close’s lack of an Oscar arguably became more famous than some actors’ actual wins.
Every year she was nominated, the conversation wasn’t just about her performance. It was about whether this would finally be the year the Academy corrected what many viewed as one of its biggest oversights.
Now, after more than four decades of unforgettable work, that recognition has finally arrived.
Close won’t be the only entertainment legend honored this year. Filmmaker Ridley Scott, the visionary behind classics such as Alien, Gladiator, and Blade Runner, will also receive an Honorary Oscar. Joining them is Floyd Norman, who made history as Disney’s first Black animator and helped shape beloved classics including Sleeping Beauty, The Jungle Book, and Robin Hood.
But for many movie fans, Glenn Close’s recognition will be the headline.
Because this isn’t simply about an actress receiving an award.
It’s about one of the greatest performers in Hollywood history finally getting the acknowledgement many believe she should have received long ago.
Will fans still wish she had won a competitive Oscar? Of course.
But after eight nominations, decades of acclaimed performances, and countless unforgettable characters, seeing Glenn Close finally hold an Oscar in her hands feels like a victory not just for her, but for everyone who has spent years asking the same question.
What took so long?