She has two Oscars (for The Accused and Silence of the Lambs), two BAFTA awards (the British version of the Oscars), two Golden Globe awards, a People’s Choice award, a Screen Actor’s Guild award, a Hollywood Film Festival award, an Independent Spirit Award, an European Film Award, a Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards, and I know there are some I left out. Let’s just say that Jodie Foster’s award shelf deservedly floweth over.
But, she will have to clear out a place for her newest award – the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award. The 45-year-old actress will receive the honor next Tuesday at the annual breakfast for The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment.
Publisher John Kilcullen said Jodie was chosen for this honor because she “has consistently maintained a sensibility and quality that is not easily sustained in this industry” and that she “clearly embodies the qualities of excellence and achievement that this award was created to honor.”
The award is named for Sherry Lansing, the former CEO of Paramount Pictures. She was the first woman to head a major studio when she stepped into the position of CEO in 1992. Under her supervision, the studio produced the blockbusters Forrest Gump, Braveheart, and Titanic, which is the highest grossing film ever. She stepped down from that position in 2004.
Sherry is currently a Regent of the University of California. She also serves on the boards of The Carter Center (for human rights), DonorsChoose (which allows people to choose school projects to support), Qualcomm, Teach for America, The American Association for Cancer Research, and Friends of Cancer Research. She was also named one of the 30 most powerful women in American by the Ladies Home Journal in 2001.
Jodie will be in good company as a winner of this award. Former recipients include Barbara Walters and Meryl Streep.