O’Toole: “Thanks, but no thanks”
by Annika Pham
Veteran Irish actor, Peter O’Toole has declined the Lifetime Achievement Oscar.
O’Toole, 70, wrote to the president of the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Frank Pierson, thanking him for the honour, but pointing out that “I am still in the game and might win the lovely bugger outright. Would the Academy please defer the honour until I am 80??”
In his long and illustrious film career, the 70-year-old has been nominated seven times, without ever winning Hollywood’s top award. The nominations were for Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Becket (1964), The Lion in Winter (1968), Goodbye Mr Chips (1969), The Ruling Class (1972), The Stunt Man (1980) and My Favourite Years (1982).
The Academy will go ahead regardless and should O’Toole change his mind, he will be more than welcome in LA on 23 March.
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