Entertainers Who Turned Down Major Awards

Jean-Paul Sartre Turned Down A Nobel Prize

Photo Credit: Dominique BERRETTY / Contributor

It’s not every day someone turns down the biggest award in literature (and possibly the planet). A Nobel Prize arguably means more than an Oscar, Golden Globe, and Grammy combined, yet playwright Jean-Paul Sartre, who’s best known for No Exit and The Flies, refused to accept the honor.

In a statement to the Swedish press, the playwright stood by his decision saying it was always his practice to decline official honors, which included more than just his Nobel Prize. Why? To keep his integrity as an artist, it was necessary. “The writer must, therefore, refuse to let himself be transformed into an institution,” he said.