Glenn Close hails Lucas Museum as 'life-affirming' act of philanthropy
Synopsis
Glenn Close's effusive Instagram tribute to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is more than celebrity praise — it signals how George Lucas and Mellody Hobson's philanthropic vision is reshaping expectations for what a museum can be. With Close's next film in the Hunger Games franchise on the horizon, the crossroads of Hollywood royalty and cultural philanthropy has rarely felt more visible.
Key Takeaways
Glenn Close praised the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art on Instagram , calling her visit 'life-affirming' and predicting the museum will 'revolutionize the museum world.' Close described the institution as 'one of the greatest acts of philanthropy EVER,' crediting George Lucas and Mellody Hobson for their 'astounding vision.' George Lucas is the creator of the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises and a recipient of two Emmy Awards , with nominations for four Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards .
Glenn Close has a career spanning over five decades , with three Emmy Awards , three Tony Awards , three Golden Globe Awards , and eight Academy Award nominations.
Close will next appear in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping , directed by Francis Lawrence , based on Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel.
Veteran actress Glenn Close has lavished praise on filmmaker George Lucas and his wife, investor and Ariel Investments co-CEO Mellody Hobson, following a personal visit to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, describing their shared vision as 'breathtaking' and predicting it will 'revolutionize the museum world.'
Close's Tribute to the Lucases
Close shared her experience on Instagram, posting a photograph alongside Hobson and writing: 'I had the LIFE AFFIRMING gift of walking through the LUCAS MUSEUM OF NARRATIVE ART with George Lucas' GENIUS wife, Mellody Hobson. What they have created is going to revolutionize the museum world.'
She went on to describe the institution as 'a treasure of art and design' that is 'transformative and deeply moving,' invoking a personal memory of Lucas himself: 'George once said to me, ‘If you can imagine it, it can happen.’ The spaceship has landed and we will never be the same.'
Closing her tribute, Close called the museum 'one of the greatest acts of philanthropy EVER,' adding: 'Thank you, Mellody and George, for the love and inspiration that has resulted in one of the greatest acts of philanthropy EVER. With love...always. Glenn.'
About the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, located in Los Angeles, is a landmark cultural institution founded by George Lucas and Mellody Hobson. The museum is dedicated to the art of visual storytelling and houses an extensive collection spanning painting, illustration, comics, and cinema. Its distinctive architecture and sweeping curatorial vision have drawn widespread attention from the arts community since its opening.
George Lucas: A Legacy in Film and Culture
George Lucas is the creator of the globally iconic Star Wars franchise and the Indiana Jones franchise, two of the most commercially and culturally consequential film series in cinema history. He has received two Emmy Awards and nominations for four Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards. Widely regarded as one of the most significant figures of the 20th-century New Hollywood movement, Lucas is also credited as a pioneer of the modern blockbuster format.
Glenn Close: Five Decades on Stage and Screen
Glenn Close brings with her a career spanning more than five decades, underscored by three Primetime Emmy Awards, three Tony Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards. She has also received nominations for eight Academy Awards, three Grammy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, and a Laurence Olivier Award — a record that places her among the most decorated performers in entertainment history.
What's Next for Glenn Close
Close is set to appear in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, directed by Francis Lawrence. The film is based on Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel of the same name and serves simultaneously as a sequel to The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and a prequel to the original The Hunger Games film series. The project is expected to be one of the most anticipated releases in the franchise's history.
Point of View
Close — herself a figure of extraordinary artistic credibility — lends the project a legitimacy that marketing alone cannot buy. The museum's focus on narrative art, often dismissed in elite curatorial circles, is a deliberate provocation, and Hobson's leadership of it challenges the historically exclusionary demographics of major American cultural institutions. Whether the museum delivers on that transformative promise over time will matter far more than the opening-night applause.
NationPress
9 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art?
The Lucas Museum of Narrative Art is a cultural institution in Los Angeles founded by filmmaker George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson, dedicated to the art of visual storytelling. Its collection spans painting, illustration, comics, and cinema, and it has been widely noted for its distinctive architecture and broad curatorial vision.
What did Glenn Close say about the Lucas Museum?
Glenn Close described her visit to the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art as a 'life-affirming' experience, calling the institution 'transformative and deeply moving.' In an Instagram post, she praised George Lucas and Mellody Hobson's vision as 'one of the greatest acts of philanthropy EVER' and predicted it would 'revolutionize the museum world.'
Who is Mellody Hobson?
Mellody Hobson is the co-CEO of Ariel Investments and wife of filmmaker George Lucas. She has been a driving force behind the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and is widely recognised as a prominent figure in American finance and philanthropy.
What is Glenn Close's next film?
Glenn Close is set to appear in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, directed by Francis Lawrence. Based on Suzanne Collins' 2025 novel, the film serves as both a sequel to The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes and a prequel to the original Hunger Games series.
What are George Lucas's most notable achievements?
George Lucas created the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, two of the most commercially successful film series in cinema history. He has received two Emmy Awards and nominations for four Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards, and is considered a pioneer of the modern blockbuster and a key figure in the 20th-century New Hollywood movement.
