American actor James Earl Jones received a stunning surprise in the West End this weekend, when, following his performance in Driving Miss Daisy, he was given an Honorary Academy Award.
After 90 minutes playing chauffeur and friend Hoke Coleburn opposite Vanessa Redgrave in the title role, Jones was surprised to see Sir Ben Kingsley emerge from the wings of the Wyndham’s theatre, bearing the world’s most famous miniature golden statue.
On accepting the award, which is presented to mark “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy,” Jones said he was: “deeply honoured, mighty grateful and just plain gobsmacked”.
Jones, who appears in Driving Miss Daisy until 17 December, has appeared in films including The Hunt For Red October, The Great White Hope and Field Of Dreams, but is possibly best known for films in which he is never seen, as he provided the voice for both Darth Vader in the Star Wars films and for Mufasa in Disney’s The Lion King.
MA