Variety will honor two-time Academy Award Nominated and Tony, Grammy and Emmy winning “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo at the 2025 Palm Springs Film Festival with its Creative Impact in Acting Award. The award will be given as part of Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch on January 4. Grammy Award-winning singer and actor Ariana Grande will present Erivo with the award.
“In less than a decade, Cynthia Erivo has moved from Tony Award-winning actress (for “The Color Purple”) to Oscar nominated actress (for “Harriet”) and now finds herself at the heart of the 2024 awards season. Her role as Elphaba in “Wicked’” is already racking up major awards,” said Variety’s Executive Vice President of Content Steven Gaydos. “Erivo has taken on an iconic role and powerfully transformed it into a creative statement that is resonating with audiences and critics all over the world.”
The award-winning actor and producer will be recognized for her performances in “Harriet,” “Drift,” “Bad Times at the El Royale,” and her most recent film “Wicked.” Released on November 22 of this year, “Wicked” has already earned over $360 million in box office revenue, making it the highest grossing movie of all time based on a Broadway musical. The film originally premiered at the State Theater in Sydney, Australia, on November 3, 2024, and has already won awards at Heartland Film Festival, Manaki Brothers Film Festival, and the Celebration of Black Cinema and Television.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival runs Jan. 2 to 13, 2025. Passes and tickets are currently on sale. For additional information visit www.psfilmfest.org.
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARDS TO HONOR WICKED’S ARIANA GRANDE WITH THE RISING STAR AWARD
The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global star Ariana Grande is the recipient of the Rising Star Award for her performance in Universal Pictures’ Wicked, her first starring role in a major studio film. The Film Awards will take place on January 3, 2025, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 2-13, 2025. The event will be presented by Silvercrest and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
Wicked, directed by Jon M. Chu, is based on the generation-defining stage musical about the untold story of the witches of Oz. Grande plays Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege, whose life and world view is upended by her unlikely friendship with Elphaba, a young woman ostracized because of her green skin. Their adventures together will lead them to fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
“In Wicked, Ariana Grande’s portrayal of Glinda elevates her to new heights with a powerful acting performance that beautifully combines her outstanding musical talent, brilliant characterization and impeccable comedic timing,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Ariana is an iconic global performer, who has seamlessly transitioned to film in her first major starring role, proving herself to be a multifaceted and undeniable talent. This role is certain to be the beginning of the many accolades she will garner throughout her acting career. It is our great honor to recognize Ariana Grande with the Rising Star Award.”
Past recipients of the Rising Star Award include Gal Gadot (Wonder Woman), Terrence Howard (Hustle & Flow), Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air), Scarlett Johansson (Lost in Translation), Jennifer Lawrence (Winter’s Bone), and Alicia Vikander (The Danish Girl and Ex Machina). In the years those actors were each honored, Howard, Lawrence, and Kendrick received Academy Award® nominations, and Vikander received the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award.
Grande joins this year’s announced honorees: Adrien Brody (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor); Timothée Chalamet (Chairman’s Award); Conclave (Ensemble Performance Award) presented to actors Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Lucian Msamati; Kieran Culkin (Breakthrough Performance Award, Actor); Colman Domingo (Spotlight Award, Actor); Angelina Jolie (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress); Nicole Kidman (International Star Award); Mikey Madison (Breakthrough Performance Award, Actress); and Emilia Pérez (Vanguard Award) presented to director Jacques Audiard and actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez.
Grande is the first artist to hold the top three Billboard Hot 100 spots since The Beatles in 1964 with “7 Rings,” “Break Up With Your Girlfriend, I’m Bored,” and “Thank U, Next.” At age 31, she has delivered seven consecutive platinum-selling albums led by 4x Platinum “My Everything” and surpassed 34 billion streams on Spotify – she’s the platform’s most streamed female artist of all-time – while rapidly becoming one of the biggest pop stars of our generation with her powerhouse vocals and unmatched presence both on stage and with her fans. In 2022, Grande became the first artist to have four albums with over 4 billion streams each on Spotify. Grande is also the first female artist in Spotify history to have 9 songs with over 1 billion streams and 20 songs with over 900 million streams. Grande has over 50 billion streams on Spotify across all credits (solo & features) and 15 songs with over 1 billion Spotify streams.
In January 2024, Grande announced her seventh studio album Eternal Sunshine. Its lead single, “Yes, And” was released with an accompanying music video on January 12, 2024, and debuted atop the Billboard Hot 100. The song topped the Billboard Global 200 and Global Excl. US charts for two weeks. On March 8th, Grande released Eternal Sunshine along with the second single off the record, “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait for Your Love).” Both the album and its second single debuted atop the Billboard 200 and the Hot 100 respectively. It also marked Grande’s first instance of reaching the top of both the Billboard Hot 100 Songwriters and Hot 100 Producers charts. In June 2024, Grande released the third single from the album, “The Boy is Mine” soon followed by “The Boy is Mine (Remix)” with Brandy and Monica.
At 15 years old, Grande landed the role of “Charlotte” in the Broadway production of 13. From there, she was cast in Nickelodeon’s Victorious, which led to a spin-off starring Grande’s character in Sam & Cat.
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARDS TO HONOR TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET WITH THE CHAIRMAN’S AWARD
The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Timothée Chalamet is the recipient of the Chairman’s Award for his performance in Searchlight Pictures’ A Complete Unknown from James Mangold. The Film Awards will take place on January 3, 2025, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 2-13, 2025. The event will be presented by Silvercrest and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
“Timothée Chalamet embodies one of the most iconic figures in music history with his extraordinary performance as Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Timothée showcases both his physical and vocal talents as he brings depth and nuance to this role that is certain to receive award recognition. It is our honor to recognize Timothée, one of the most respected actors of his generation, with the Chairman’s Award.”
Chalamet previously received the Festival’s Rising Star Award (2018) for Call Me By Your Name and the Spotlight Award (2019) for Beautiful Boy. Past recipients of the Chairman’s Award include last year’s recipients, Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, who went on to receive the Academy Award for Best Original Song, along with previous honorees Amy Adams, George Clooney, Viola Davis, Tom Hanks, Jennifer Hudson, Nicole Kidman, Regina King, Gary Oldman, and Reese Witherspoon.
He joins this year’s announced honorees: Adrien Brody (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor), Conclave (Ensemble Performance Award) presented to actors Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Lucian Msamati; Kieran Culkin (Breakthrough Performance Award, Actor); Colman Domingo (Spotlight Award, Actor); Angelina Jolie (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress), Nicole Kidman (International Star Award); Mikey Madison (Breakthrough Performance Award, Actress); and Emilia Pérez (Vanguard Award) presented to director Jacques Audiard and actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez.
New York, 1961. Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-year-old from Minnesota arrives with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music. He forges intimate relationships with music icons of Greenwich Village on his meteoric rise, culminating in a groundbreaking and controversial performance that reverberates worldwide. Timothée Chalamet stars and sings as Bob Dylan in James Mangold’s A Complete Unknown, the electric true story behind the rise of one of the most iconic singer-songwriters in history. The film also stars Edward Norton as Pete Seeger, Elle Fanning as Sylvie Russo, Monica Barbaro as Joan Baez, Boyd Holbrook as Johnny Cash and Scoot McNairy as Woody Guthrie.
Timothée Chalamet was the youngest “Best Actor” Oscar nominee since 1939 for his breakout role in Call Me by Your Name. He has starred in five “Best Picture” Oscar nominees: Call Me by Your Name, Lady Bird, Little Women, Dune, and Don’t Look Up. Additional credits include Bones and All, The French Dispatch, Beautiful Boy, The King, Interstellar, Dune: Part Two, and Wonka. He is currently in production on A24 and Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme, inspired by the late American table tennis legend Martin ‘Marty’ Reisman.
VARIETY WILL HONOR GLOBAL SUPERSTAR JENNIFER LOPEZ with the LEGEND & GROUNDBREAKER AWARD at the 2025 PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Variety announced that Jennifer Lopez will be honored during the Palm Springs International Film Festival as part of Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch on Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Parker Palm Springs.
Lopez will receive the Legend & Groundbreaker Award, paying homage to Lopez’s remarkable journey as a multifaceted force in entertainment, spanning film, television, music, and more- including her powerful turn in the film Unstoppable.”
“Unstoppable,” from Amazon MGM Studios, premiered at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, and follows the inspiring true story of Anthony Robles – the unbreakable Arizona State wrestler who was born with one leg. Jennifer plays Anothony’s mother, Judy Robles, who taught him how to fight for himself—how to take what the world might see as a setback and turn it into the very thing that propels you forward. The film is set to be released in select theaters on Dec. 6 and will be on Prime Video on Jan. 16.
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARDS TO HONOR KIERAN CULKIN WITH THE BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE AWARD
The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Kieran Culkin is the recipient of the Breakthrough Performance Award, Actor for his performance in A Real Pain. The Film Awards will take place on January 3, 2025, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 2-13, 2025. The event will be presented by Silvercrest and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
“Kieran Culkin delivers an extraordinary performance in his latest role as Benji in A Real Pain. The film follows two cousins who, after the death of their grandmother, embark on a tour of Polish Holocaust history, stirring a mix of emotions as they confront their shared past,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Culkin brings remarkable depth to his character—a free spirit whose charm captivates a small tour group, yet who wrestles with the emotions of family loss and a sense of an unfulfilled life. For this complex performance, we present Kieran Culkin with this year’s Breakthrough Performance Award.”
Culkin joins this year’s previously announced honorees Adrien Brody (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor), Conclave (Ensemble Performance Award) presented to actors Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Lucian Msamati; Colman Domingo (Spotlight Award, Actor); Angelina Jolie (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress); Nicole Kidman (International Star Award); Mikey Madison (Breakthrough Performance Award); and Emilia Pérez (Vanguard Award) presented to director Jacques Audiard and actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez.
Past recipients of the Breakthrough Performance Award include Mahershala Ali, Austin Butler, Rami Malek, David Oyelowo, and Jeremy Renner. In the years they were honored, Ali and Malek went on to receive Academy Awards, while Butler and Renner received nominations.
A Real Pain, presented by Searchlight Pictures, follows mismatched cousins David and Benji as they reunite for a tour through Poland to honor their beloved grandmother. The adventure takes a turn when the odd couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. Directed and written by Jesse Eisenberg, the film stars Eisenberg alongside Culkin with a cast rounded out by Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes.
Coming off one of the most critically acclaimed television shows in recent history, Kieran Culkin garnered praise for his performance as Roman Roy in the Emmy and SAG winning drama, “Succession.” Culkin won an Emmy®, Critics Choice Award, and Golden Globe® last year for the final season of the show. Culkin, who has been acting for over 30 years, has made distinct choices in both film and theatre. Recent film credits include: Igby Goes Down, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, No Sudden Move, Weiner Dog, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, The Mighty, Paper Man and Margaret. Upcoming, he will be seen in the revival of David Mamet’s play Glengarry Glen Ross, set to open in 2025 on Broadway.
PALM SPRINGS INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARDS TO HONOR ANGELINA JOLIE WITH THE DESERT PALM ACHIEVEMENT AWARD, ACTRESS
The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Angelina Jolie is the recipient of the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress, for Pablo Larraín’s Maria. The Film Awards will take place on January 3, 2025, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running January 2-13, 2025. The event will be presented by Silvercrest and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
“Maria presents the iconic Angelina Jolie in the role of a lifetime as she embodies Maria Callas, the world-renowned opera legend. Jolie’s extraordinary portrayal captures the heart and complexity of an artist whose life was as captivating as her music,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “In honor of her mesmerizing transformation into this groundbreaking yet tragic figure, we are thrilled to present Angelina Jolie with the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress.”
Jolie joins this year’s previously announced honorees: Adrien Brody (Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor), Conclave (Ensemble Performance Award) presented to actors Ralph Fiennes, Isabella Rossellini, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, and Lucian Msamati; Colman Domingo (Spotlight Award, Actor); Nicole Kidman (International Star Award); Mikey Madison (Breakthrough Performance Award); and Emilia Pérez (Vanguard Award) presented to director Jacques Audiard and actors Karla Sofia Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, Selena Gomez and Edgar Ramírez.
Past winners of the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress include last year’s recipient Emma Stone who went on to receive the Academy Award for Best Actress, along with Cate Blanchett, Halle Berry, Sandra Bullock, Jessica Chastain, Olivia Colman, Marion Cotillard, Viola Davis, Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman, Charlize Theron and Renée Zellweger.
From director Pablo Larraín, Maria, stars Academy Award winner, Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas, one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century. The film follows the American-Greek soprano as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye. Maria reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days as the diva reckons with her identity and life. The film also features Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, Stephen Ashfield, with Valeria Golino and Kodi Smit-McPhee as Mandrax. Maria releases in select theaters on November 27, 2024, and on Netflix on December 11, 2024.
Angelina Jolie is an Academy Award-winning actress, director, and producer, with film credits including Walt Disney Pictures’ Maleficent series, Salt, and Girl, Interrupted. Jolie directed, produced and co-wrote the critically acclaimed feature First They Killed My Father and the upcoming Without Blood; additionally, she directed the Oscar®-nominated drama Unbroken. She is a Tony Award-winning producer on the acclaimed new Broadway musical The Outsiders.
With over 20 years working as a humanitarian focusing on work with refugees and human rights, Jolie also champions local leadership in environmental conservation and has funded schools, health and education initiatives globally. Additionally, she is founder of the Maddox Foundation, an integrated development program headquartered in Cambodia, with a focus on conservation, agriculture, education and economic development projects in the area. She is the founder of Atelier Jolie, a hub for artists, empowering people to participate in creating their own fashion, with a focus on sustainability. Jolie is also co-author of Know Your Rights and Claim Them, a guide for youth.
Variety‘s “10 Directors to Watch.” These directors will be honored during the Palm Springs International Fil Festival as part of Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch on Saturday, Jan. 4 at the Parker Palm Springs.
Those being honored include:
Durga Chew-Bose, “Bonjour Tristesse”
Coralie Fargeat, “The Substance”
David Fortune, “Color Book”
Drew Hancock, “Companion”
Zoe Kravitz, “Blink Twice”
Tom Nesher, “Come Closer”
Halina Reijn, “Babygirl”
James Sweeney, “Twinless”
Magnus von Horn, “The Girl With the Needle”
Malcolm Washington, “The Piano Lesson”
