Arise Sir Peter Lord and David Sproxton, but very slowly, just a little bit at a time.
The founders of Aardman Animations, the legendary stop-motion pioneers behind “Wallace and Gromit,” “Shaun the Sheep” and “Chicken Run,” have been knighted in King Charles’ birthday honors, issued annually to celebrate outstanding achievements and contributions to British society.
Lord and Sproxton, who first founded Aardman in 1972, were among a list of 1,182 new recipients of honors of varying degrees of prestige, announced on Friday and ranging from politicians to sports stars, actors, musicians and more.
“We both feel it is an extraordinary privilege and an honor — as well as a complete and utter surprise — to be recognised in this way,” the duo said in a statement.
Elsewhere from the entertainment world, Helen Mirren — already a dame, one of the highest ranks — was made a Companion of Honour, of which there are only 65 at any one time.
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Meanwhile, actor-turned-filmmaker Dexter Fletcher, who first started on screen in “Bugsy Malone” but more recently directed “Eddie the Eagle” and “Rocketman” was made an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire). David Holmes, who served as Daniel Radcliffe’s stunt double in the “Harry Potter” films but became permanently paralysed from the chest downwards following an accident rehearsing a sequence for “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1,” has been made an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for his his charitable work as well as services to film and media. Holmes was subject of the 2023 doc “David Holmes: The Boy Who Lived.”
Film score composer Patrick Doyle, known for his collaborations with Kenneth Branagh and whose work spans films including “Thor,” “Carlito’s Way,” “Gosford Park” and “Murder on the Orient Express,” was made a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire).
Another honoree was beloved British children’s author Julia Donaldson, who has written more than 200 books, including “The Gruffalo,” and has seen several recently adapted into BBC animated films. Donaldson has been made a dame, as has fellow author Malorie Blackman, best known for her “Noughts and Crosses” young adult series, which was also adapted into a BBC series.