One of Hollywood’s most popular actresses, Julia Roberts, will be honored with the 22nd American Cinematheque Award, an announcement made on Monday by the non-profit cinema-arts group said.
The Academy Award-winning actress was unanimously chosen by the organization’s selection committee for the award, which honors "an extraordinary artist in the entertainment industry who is fully engaged in his or her work and is committed to making a significant contribution to the art of the motion picture", Variety magazine reported.
"Julia Roberts is a true movie star who has delighted audiences and critics in so many pictures, from her first screen appearance in 'Mystic Pizza' through mega-hits like 'Pretty Woman' and 'Runaway Bride' to her Academy Award-winning performance in 'Erin Brockovich' and many, many more. Moviegoers are eagerly awaiting the next chapter in the career of this beloved actress and we are looking forward to thanking her for all that she's already given us," Cinematheque board chairman Rick Nicita said Monday.
Previous winners of the award given to actors, directors or writers in the entertainment industry, include Al Pacino, Nicole Kidman, Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Nicolas Cage, Jodie Foster and Martin Scorsese.
Last year, the 40-year-old actress presented last year’s winner, actor George Clooney, with his award.
The American Cinematheque award will be presented on Oct. 12 to Roberts in Beverly Hills and the festivities will air on AMC in December just as the publicity machine kicks into high gear for Roberts' new movie, "Charlie Wilson's War," co-starring Tom Hanks and Philip Seymour Hoffman, due out Christmas Day.