And the First Posthumous Oscar Goes to… – Armessa Movie News

Academy Award ceremonies are usually celebratory, where actors and filmmakers finally receive public recognition for all their hard work. But sometimes industry stars are taken too soon, often before the broad success of their art can truly be felt. On occasion, an Oscar nominee will pass away before any Academy Award recognition is confirmed, with some leaving us before their movie is released or even finished. In these cases, Oscars can be awarded posthumously, a rare accolade which honors the talent and dedication of the deceased in their absence.

Famously, the Academy Awards feature a longstanding In Memoriam feature, where actors and filmmakers who have passed away since the previous awards are commemorated. This marks out the Oscars as a moment for the industry to come together and remember, where this segment cements the passing of movie stars, writers, and producers in the cultural memory. A posthumous Oscar contributes to this tone of remembrance, but in a different way. Inclusion in the In Memoriam segment honors the life of a star, whilst an Oscar in absentia honors a specific artistic creation or film appearance, illustrating that art always lives on even if a life is tragically cut short.

Chadwick Boseman’s Death Reignited the Academy Award Tradition

Most recently, posthumous acclaim at the Academy Awards has been associated with the passing of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman, who died in 2020 after a four-year battle with colon cancer. The star was nominated for the award for Best Actor in a Leading Role at the 2021 ceremony, for his performance as Levee Green in the musical drama Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. Although the award ultimately went to Anthony Hopkins for The Father, this posthumous celebration of Boseman’s work reignited the longstanding Academy Award tradition of honoring stars that have left us too soon. Boseman later secured a posthumous Emmy at the 2022 awards in the category of Outstanding Character Voice-Over for his contribution to the animated series What If…?, where Boseman’s wife collected the award in his honor. It has also been announced that Boseman will receive a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as part of the class of 2024, a testament to his enduring legacy.

Another actor who endures in our recent cultural memory is Heath Ledger, whose unforgettable career included lead performances in 10 Things I Hate About You and Brokeback Mountain. Ledger passed away in 2008 from an accidental prescription drug overdose, just as he was reaching the pinnacle of his fame. At the Oscars the following year, Ledger won the Academy Award for his compelling performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, a role which immortalized his talent and set a high bar for competing adaptations in the years to come. A posthumous win in an acting category is somewhat rarer than a nomination, where Ledger is one of just two stars to have secured this accolade since the ceremony’s beginnings. The other posthumous winner in an acting capacity is Peter Finch, who notably secured the Best Actor award for his role as Howard Beele in the 1976 comedy drama film Network. Finch died in 1977 of a heart attack, just a few months before the Oscars.

Bridget O’Connor and James Dean Earn Posthumous Nods

Also in recent memory is the nomination of screenwriter Bridget O’Connor in 2012. This was for the category of Best Adapted Screenplay, where she received her nomination for her contribution to the 2011 hit film Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. O’Connor passed away before the movie’s release after a battle with cancer. On the night, the Adapted Screenplay prize went to the writers of comedy drama The Descendants. O’Connor is in good company when it comes to posthumous nominees who didn’t secure a win at the award ceremony. Much earlier in Academy Award history, James Dean was posthumously nominated for Best Actor in 1956 for his role as Cal Trask in East of Eden, where the award eventually went to Ernest Borgnine for Marty. Dean had famously passed away the year previously in a motor collision, aged just 24.

‘Gone With the Wind’ Screenwriter Sidney Howard Earns First Posthumous Oscar

This long history of posthumous Oscar nominations and wins extends all the way back to 1940, when an award was attributed to a deceased talent for the very first time. The accolade went to screenwriter Sidney Howard for his work on the screenplay of Gone With the Wind. Released in 1939 as an adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s popular novel, the film was a widespread success, securing eight Oscars and two honorary awards, which included the award for Outstanding Production (later known as the Best Picture prize). Howard won on the night for Best Adapted Screenplay, but had unfortunately passed away months prior to the ceremony in a tractor accident on his farm, a further example of a tragic and unexpected death that preceded Academy Award recognition.

RELATED: Ray Liotta Earns Posthumous Emmy Nomination for ‘Black Bird’

Posthumous Recognition by the Academy Solidifies the Memory of Beloved Stars

Entertainment award ceremonies present a rare opportunity to honor talented stars even when they are no longer with us. The bestowing of posthumous awards speaks to the way in which art endures despite the fragility of human lives. Many of the stars who earned belated Oscars died suddenly due to illnesses or accidents, where the unexpectedness of their departure created ripples through the film industry as well as in popular culture. The tragedy of their passing adds an even greater weight to the art they have created, where it is especially painful when a film receives widespread acclaim whilst the artist in question is unable to appreciate this praise.

These much loved filmmaking talents are allowed to live on through their work, where audiences can enjoy their creative output for decades to come. Their immortalization through film is further cemented with the help of Academy Award recognition, due to the lasting marker of excellence that this prize bestows on its winners. As such, a posthumous nomination or win is always of value, as it speaks to the lasting contribution these stars have made to their craft.