Prior to the last few years, the Academy used to reward Honorary Awards to their recipients during the Oscar ceremony with memorable winners including Alfred Hitchcock, Charlie Chaplin and Paul Newman. However due to the broadcasters wanting to shorten the telecast in recent times, the recipients now have to be honoured at a separate gala which takes place in November.

This year’s talented group of artists that are being recognised by The Govenor Awards consists of three renowned actors and an experienced costume designer. Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs had this to say on the quartet:

“The Governors Awards pay tribute to individuals who’ve made indelible contributions in their respective fields. We couldn’t be more excited for this year’s honorees and look forward to bringing their peers and colleagues together to celebrate their extraordinary achievements.”

Oscar-winning actress Angelina Jolie is to be awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award for her “humanitarian efforts which have brought credit to the industry.”

The Hollywood superstar is best known for her roles in Girl, Interrupted (1999), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and Changeling (2008) but is also being recognised for her humanitarian projects including A Mighty Heart (2007) and her directional debut In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011).

The Honorary Award recipients are Oscar-nominated veteran Angela Lansbury, comedian actor Steve Martin and Italian costume designer Piero Tosi. They are honoured for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement, exceptional contributions to the state of motion picture arts and sciences, or for outstanding service to the Academy.”

Lansbury has been nominated three times at the Oscars for her roles in Gaslight (1944), The Picture of Dorian Grey (1945) and her devilish turn in The Manchurian Candidate (1962). She is also regarded for her work in The Long, Hot Summer (1958), Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) and Death on the Nile (1978) as well as her voice-work in animated films Beauty and the Beast (1991) and Anastasia (1997).

Martin, who has hosted the Oscars three times (most recently in 2010), is well known for his roles in The Jerk (1978), Three Amigos! (1986), the hilariously-brilliant Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987), Parenthood (1989), Father of the Bride (1991), Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), The Pink Panther (2006) and It’s Complicated (2009).

Finally Tosi, best known for working with Italian director Luchino Visconti, has been nominated five times by the Academy for his work on The Leopard (1963), Death in Venice (1971), Ludwig (1972), La Cage aux Folles (1978) and La Traviata (1982).

All four artists will be presented with their awards at the Academy’s 5th Annual Governors Awards on Saturday, November 16th, at the Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center.