After Kidman, non-American actor likely to get AFI award?

You have to accept it, though, right? I can easily see someone like DDL not agreeing to have a very public, televised thing with collaborators coming out praising him, unless he's like 80 years old. Whereas with a Hopkins, why not? Could also see DDL agreeing and saying "Fuck it".

I dunno if any of the actors/actresses on the poll are going to get it (maybe Daniel Day-Lewis feels most likely at this point, but I don't know if he's considered an iconic enough "movie star" outside of industry circles. Laurence Olivier was s far bigger movie star than DDL and he never got it. Michael Caine and Anthony Hopkins should have been up for it years ago, but they don't seem like a priority for the AFI, considering their advanced ages).

  The fact that in 50 years of existence, they have only given it to 4 non-American actor/actresses, shows how hard it is,  especially when there's a backlog of American stars/legends still waiting to recieve it (Jeff Bridges, Sigourney Weaver, Glenn Close, Jodie Foster etc) who still may never get it.

I'd say three non-Americans - Elizabeth Taylor may have held dual British citizenship and been born in London, but I do think Americans see her as a native. 

I don't know if Cate Blanchett is iconic enough of a film/TV star to have anything other than an outside chance of one day of getting it (she may end up with 3 Oscars one day, but I also don't see Frances McDormand, who is a 3 time Oscar winning actress ever getting the AFI for similar reasons, though she also has an outside shot. Just like I don't see Jessica Lange getting it with her 2 Oscars either). Nicole Kidman's iconic stature in the American film/TV industry was really highlighted by her being picked to front the AMC ad campaign.  I don't think Blanchett has the stature with audiences to be picked to front a campaign like that, and I feel like that kind of iconic status with audiences factors into getting the award. I'd argue Kidman shoring up her American audience appeal with huge TV hits in recent years ( Big Little Lies, The Undoing etc) and Being The Ricardos being a huge streaming hit has contributed to her being able to get the AFI. Kidman is an all-timer as a star and an actress. Blanchett is maybe only an all-timer as an actress. Not so much as a star.

Blanchett could one day get it, but  I don't think she's anywhere as obvious a choice as some. Tar may win her awards,  but it's making little dent with regular audiences. I actually think Kate Winslet might stand a slightly better chance one day (though I don't think she'd be a priority for AFI either), because she's been the leading lady in hugely successful, audience drawing projects like Titanic and Mare of Easttown. It's actually difficult to think of any hugely successful projects with American audiences (film or TV) that Blanchett has truly carried/led. Mrs America wasn't exactly a ratings juggernaut and most of her biggest movies have had her in supporting roles ( Lord Of The Rings, The Aviator, Thor Ragnorok, Don't Look Up etc)

Good point about Taylor being percieved as an American native. She lived in America since she was about 7 years old.

Jeez, it's quite insane how difficult it is to get this award as a perceived non-American performer. Wild to think that only Connery, Andrews  and Kidman have done it.

Really

Probably Hopkins and/or DDL. Not saying they for sure would get it based on what you've discussed here on factors for getting the award, but those would be the best bets for non-Americans especially for their impact/roles in Hollywood/American films. Hopkins for Dr. Hannibal Lecter, and DDL for Daniel Planview, Abraham Lincoln, etc.

Classic.......... or um..........typical hugo.....depending on your POV..........but especially that in bold - I laughed ngl    ..........:  

The AFI is a nice award - it's prestigious - but Steve Martin has the AFI so............. I'm not saying he's not worthy........but Eddie Murphy doesn't .........I think you can reasonably call Eddie Murphy the 2nd best comic actor / star - ever in the English language - arguably behind Peter Sellers obviously - I mean I wouldn't rank him that high - I'm old school -  Alec Guinness ftw .............  but it's not that odd to say that about Murphy in the modern era .........and he made a lot more big time money than Steve Martin  ........so the AFI is not above criticism in assessing their picks from year to year ........I could see it being Maggie Smith tbh.......I dunno.........

I mean Redford doesn't have one and you can legitimately argue him fitting the AFI "criteria" far more than several winners ......it's not really an award of greater comparative merit exactly, it's rather an award for a considerable career achievement ......so it's always up in the air

Also DDL really may not want this - I mean he showed up in that clip to get an award, but not sit there and have people fellate him for the whole night ......that's a different thing - like the Kennedy Center Honor -  DDL's whole schtick is "I don't need you to tell me I'm great I have 3 Best Actor Oscars and 4 BAFTAs" ..........and within that discussion he ain't wrong exactly ..........I mean dude is retired and I've never thought he's coming back ........for anything

Speaking of outside US people Charlize Theron will probably get this one day ......but not "next" and certainly not before Blanchett without some headscratching going on anyway.......

I dodon'think she deserves that. Because before 2001 her American Career was almost irrelevant.

It better be Anthony Hopkins.