Gosford Park, Chernobyl and Dune: Prophecy actress Emily Watson is set to receive the Richard Harris Award at the British Independent Film Awards gala in London Sunday.

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"Emily's first film was Lars von Trier's epic Breaking the Waves, which is like saying the first mountain she climbed was Everest. It was a fearless and devastating performance and was rightly recognized with multiple honors, and her first Oscar nomination," Harris' actor sons Damian, Jamie and Jared said in a statement Tuesday.

"Since then, there have been a succession of Emily Watson performances that have again rightly been acknowledged with nominations, honors and awards, including a BIFA. Emily is too young to be called a national treasure, but any performance of hers is a cultural event and she enhances the quality of everything in which she appears. She rightly takes her place alongside the past recipients of the Richard Harris Award."

Previous recipients of the honor include Samantha Morton, Riz Ahmed, Kristin Scott Thomas, Daniel Day-Lewis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Julie Walters, Stephen Graham and Sophie Okonedo.

Harris starred in Camelot, The Guns of Navarone, Unforgiven, Gladiator and the first two Harry Potter films. He died in 2002 at the age of 72.