Peter O'Toole has asked Oscar organisers to defer presenting him with an honorary award.
The Academy announced last week that it was to present the 70-year-old actor with an honorary statuette at this year's ceremony.
O'Toole sent a handwritten open letter to the Academy stating he was "enchanted" by the gesture, but asking if they would defer the honour until he is 80 as he is still in with a chance of winning an Oscar outright.
The Irish actor has been nominated for best actor seven times for films including 'Lawrence of Arabia' (1962), 'The Lion in Winter' (1968), and 'Goodbye, Mr. Chips' (1969) - but never won.
The organisers say that the Oscar will be waiting for O'Toole to pick up when he is 80 or whenever he wants to collect it.
