Oscars Come to London to Honor Vanessa Redgrave

The Oscars came to London on Sunday, when the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences honored British actress Vanessa Redgrave in the first such tribute made in Europe.

Playwright David Hare hosted the event at a central London cinema, and stars including Meryl Streep, Ralph Fiennes and James Earl Jones were at the ceremony marking a stage and screen career that has spanned more than 50 years.

Wherever you go in the world, people know and admire Vanessa Redgrave, Hare said in a statement.

There are not many consistently brilliant 50-year careers in the history of cinema, but hers is one of them.

Hare created three film sequences for the event showcasing Redgrave's work.

The 74-year-old actress, currently appearing alongside Jones in Driving Miss Daisy in London's West End, was born into a famous acting dynasty and began her stage career in the late 1950s.

She quickly moved into movies, picking up the first of six Oscar nominations for her appearance in Morgan! in 1966.

Her sole win was for best supporting actress in Julia, and she caused controversy with an acceptance speech in which she attacked a a small bunch of Zionist hoodlums who had objected to her involvement in a pro-Palestinian documentary.

In addition to the Oscar, Redgrave's honors include Olivier, Tony, Emmy, Screen Actors Guild and Cannes film festival awards.

She stars in Anonymous, currently in cinemas, and the upcoming Coriolanus.

Redgrave's Driving Miss Daisy co-star Jones, famous to many as the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise, received an honorary career Oscar in London on Saturday.

The 80-year-old did not attend the main U.S. ceremony in person because of his stage commitments in Britain.