Never-nominated Donald Sutherland at 82 finally getting an Oscar

President Snow of “The Hunger Games” should have commanded that Donald Sutherland get an Oscar. But the never-even-nominated-actor is still getting an honorary one in November.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chose Sutherland, 82, and three others to be honored at its annual Governors Awards.

“Mr. Sutherland has appeared in more than 140 movies spanning six decades…. Known for his penetrating stare, Mr. Sutherland got his break in 1967 with “The Dirty Dozen.” Other well-known roles came in ‘Klute,’ ‘Ordinary People,’ ‘M*A*S*H’ and ‘The Hunger Games’ series,” noted The New York Times.

Also in line for honors Nov. 11 in Los Angeles are French director Agnès Varda, filmmaker Charles Burnett and cinematographer Owen Roizman, who shot the “The Exorcist” and “Network.”

Academy President John Bailey said the awards “reflect the breadth of international, independent and mainstream filmmaking and are tributes to four great artists whose work embodies the diversity of our shared humanity.”

The New York Times said the academy chose not to bestow The Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award or the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for producing.

The Honorary Award, an Oscar statuette, is given “to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy,” officials said.

Early reactions: