President honors George Lucas

But the star of the original Star Wars trilogy and the upcoming The Force Awakens didn’t appear in person. At age 90, she’s now starring on Broadway alongside James Earl Jones in “The Gin Game“. President Barack Obama will be a late arrival at the gala after delivering a national address at 8 p.m. The president and first lady Michelle Obama were also holding a White House reception for the honorees late Sunday afternoon.

This marks the 38th year of the Kennedy Center Honors, and the event had new producers for the first time. Spielberg called him “a pathfinder and a pioneer like Edison and Bell and Tesla and Jobs”, while Scorsese proclaimed George was “a hero to young people all over the world…his audience is truly global”.

“The fans are going to love it”, Lucas said of the new film.

“Aretha Franklin paid tribute to King with a performance of “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman”, the King-penned song that Franklin had a hit with in 1967.

As the tribute to the Star Wars creator began at a gala honouring him and four others for contributing to American culture through the arts, the crowd was asked to welcome actress Carrie Fisher.

“Cicely Tyson does not merely act”, said Washington. Washington spoke of how every year on his birthday, Tyson visits a jazz club “where she no doubt hears a rendition” of My Funny Valentine. “She’s an important character”, Kennedy says, “a baddie in the best sense of the word”.

Moreno, who earned an Oscar in 1962 for her performance in the film adaptation of “West Side Story”, highlighted her heritage.

Lucas’s films, especially the first “Star Wars” movie that came out in 1977, “changed movies absolutely for ever”, said Spielberg, who was at the event.

The Kennedy Center Honor is among the most prestigious awards which can be given to an artist.

The portion of the event honoring Lucas ended with an orchestral playing of themes from some of his most famous works, such as Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and The Goonies, with a light show as an accompaniment the music.

Renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who performed on stage, said that the Kennedy Awards “keeps away the darkness of fear, of terror, of hate, of violence”.

“Each of these artists was born with something special to offer their country and the world”, the president said.

The group postponed their appearance for one year due to unspecified health problems of Glenn Frey, a member of the quartet.