Honored guests

Each year, the SCAD Savannah Film Festival recognizes special guests and honorees throughout the weeklong celebration. Additional featured guests can be found in individual event descriptions on the festival schedule.

2024 honorees

Amy Adams

Amy Adams

Outstanding Achievement in Cinema Award
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Nightbitch.

Six-time Academy Award-nominated and two-time Golden Globe Award-winning actress Amy Adams has built an impressive body of work, challenging herself with each new role. Her Academy Award-nominated roles include Junebug, for which she also received the Special Jury Prize for Acting at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival; John Patrick Shanley's Doubt; David O. Russell's The Fighter and American Hustle, for which she also won a Golden Globe Award, a Critics Choice Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award; Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master; and Adam McKay's Vice. Her other film credits include a Golden Globe-winning role in Big Eyes as well as Enchanted, Disenchanted, Justice League, Arrival, Nocturnal Animals, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Her, Julie and Julia, Dear Evan Hansen, The Woman in the Window, Trouble with the Curve, On the Road, The Muppets, Night at the Museum 2: Battle at the Smithsonian, Sunshine Cleaning, Charlie Wilson's War, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and Catch Me If You Can.

In 2018, Adams starred in the limited series Sharp Objects, which she also executive produced, winning a Critics Choice Award and earning Golden Globe, SAG, and Emmy Award nominations for her performance. In 2022, she made her West End debut starring in an evocative new production of Tennessee Williams' beloved play The Glass Menagerie. Alongside partner Stacy O'Neil, Adams launched the production company Bond Group Entertainment, which produced her new film Nightbitch and is currently developing adaptations of The Holdout and Finding the Mother Tree that Adams will star in, among other projects. Adams is currently in production on At the Sea, a new drama from Kornél Mundruczó and Kata Wéber. She most recently wrapped production on the film Klara and the Sun, directed by Taika Waititi.

Pamela Anderson

Pamela Anderson

Marquee Award
Saturday, Nov. 2, 4:30 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening The Last Showgirl.

Pamela Anderson has cemented her status as a cultural icon, captivating audiences with a consistently evolving career that has surprised and entertained throughout. Born and raised in Canada, Anderson was discovered while attending a football game, which led to an offer to appear in a Labatt's Beer commercial and later to her Hollywood career. Best known for her role on the blockbuster series Baywatch — which became the most-watched series in the world upon her joining the cast, with over 1.1 billion viewers weekly — Anderson has also starred in the series Home Improvement, VIP, and Stacked. Among her other recent acting work, Anderson made her Broadway debut in 2022 as Roxy Hart in Chicago, receiving universal acclaim and an award from Playbill. Her starring role, offered to her by producers Rob Marshall and Barry Weissler after her stint on Dancing with the Stars, served as a moment of reinvention and a new direction in her career.

In 2023, Anderson released her New York Times-bestselling memoir, Love, Pamela and starred in the Emmy Award-nominated Netflix documentary Pamela, A Love Story, both of which gave an intimate glimpse into her life and career. Anderson received rave reviews as the star and title character in the Gia Coppola-directed The Last Showgirl, which premiered at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival and earned her the Golden Eye Award at the Zurich Film Festival. She will next star opposite Liam Neeson in Paramount's revival of The Naked Gun. This fall, Anderson will release her first cookbook, I Love You: Recipes from the Heart.

Colleen Atwood

Colleen Atwood

Variety Creative Impact in Costume Design Award
Thursday, Oct. 31, 12 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

Colleen Atwood has won four Academy Awards for her costume designs: for Tim Burton's hit adaptation of Alice in Wonderland, Rob Marshall's period drama Memoirs of a Geisha and musical Chicago, and David Yates' Wizarding World spinoff Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Among her many other honors, Atwood has also received Oscar nominations for her work on Marshall's Into the Woods and Nine, Rupert Sanders' Snow White and the Huntsman, Burton's Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Sleepy Hollow, Brad Silberling's Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, Jonathan Demme's Beloved, and Gillian Armstrong's Little Women. A frequent collaborator with Burton, her previous films with the director include Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, Dumbo, Big Eyes, Edward Scissorhands, Ed Wood, Mars Attacks!, Planet of the Apes, Big Fish, and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.

She also collaborated with Demme multiple times, on his Oscar-winning Best Picture Silence of the Lambs as well as Philadelphia and Married to the Mob. In 2023, Atwood teamed up again with Marshall for Disney's live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. On TV, Atwood's credits include Burton's Addams Family continuation Wednesday, Marshall's Tony Bennett: An American Classic, Supergirl, Arrow, High Fidelity, and The Tick. She counts among her many other film credits Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Bombshell, Tomb Raider, The Cloverfield Paradox, Public Enemies, The Tourist, The Rum Diary, Alice Through the Looking Glass, Mission: Impossible III, In Time, Gattaca, That Thing You Do!, Mumford, Wyatt Earp, Manhunter, and Firstborn, which marked her first film as a costume designer.

Marisa Abela

Marisa Abela

Next Gen Award
Sunday, Oct. 27, 4 p.m.
SCAD Museum of Art

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Back to Black.

British actor Marisa Abela is a formidable talent who continues to make an indelible impression in the United Kingdom, Hollywood, and beyond with a series of commanding and complex roles across both film and television. Abela has garnered unanimous critical praise for her performance as iconic Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Amy Winehouse in Back to Black, as well as for her reprisal as publishing heiress-turned-investment banker Yasmin Kara-Hanani in HBO and BBC One's hit hedonistic banking drama Industry — with Vanity Fair calling her the "star of the season." Prior to this success, Abela appeared in Greta Gerwig's billion dollar blockbuster Barbie, the espionage thriller Rogue Agent, and the improvisational romance She Is Love. She made her TV debut in the British action series COBRA. Abela recently wrapped production on her leading role in Steven Soderbergh's thriller Black Bag alongside Michael Fassbender, Cate Blanchett, and Regé-Jean Page. Abela is a graduate of the highly acclaimed Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, where she still resides.

Jerry Bruckheimer

Jerry Bruckheimer

Legend of Entertainment Award
Monday, Oct. 28, 2:30 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the event In Conversation with Jerry Bruckheimer.

Perhaps the most successful film and television producer of all time, Academy Award-nominated Jerry Bruckheimer's credits include the monumentally successful Pirates of the Caribbean, Top Gun, National Treasure, Bad Boys, and Beverly Hills Cop franchises as well as such hits as Black Hawk Down, Pearl Harbor, Remember the Titans, Enemy of the State, Armageddon, Con Air, The Rock, Crimson Tide, and Flashdance. His latest blockbuster, Top Gun: Maverick, quickly became his most successful movie ever, with a global box office of nearly $1.5 billion that broke his own record for the largest Memorial Day Weekend opening ever. Bruckheimer released four films in 2024: The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, Young Woman the Sea, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. He is currently in production on an as-yet-untitled film set in the world of Formula 1 racing starring Brad Pitt and directed by Joseph Kosinski.

On TV, Jerry Bruckheimer Television (JBTV) has produced some of the most successful series of the past 25 years, including CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and its four spinoffs, Without a Trace, Cold Case, and the 10-time Emmy Award-winning The Amazing Race. His other TV credits include Lucifer, Fire Country, and Hightown. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Bruckheimer's films have collectively grossed nearly $15 billion. He has also produced more than 2,000 hours of television. His projects have been honored with 49 Academy Award nominations and seven wins, 145 Emmy Award nominations and 23 wins, and nine Grammy Award nominations and five wins, among other accolades. A Detroit native, Bruckheimer developed a lifelong passion for movies and sports, especially ice hockey. He fulfilled a lifelong dream in 2019 when he founded the NHL's expansion Seattle Kraken with businessman David Bonderman, which started play in 2021–22.

Jodie Comer

Jodie Comer

Etoile Award
Saturday, Nov. 2, 11 a.m.
SCAD Museum of Art

This award will be presented as part of the event In Conversation with Jodie Comer.

British actor Jodie Comer is best known for her role as Villanelle in the BBC America cult hit series Killing Eve. Comer won both the Emmy Award for Lead Actress in a Drama Series and BAFTA Award for Best Leading Actress in 2019 and earned Critics Choice Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations during the show's run. Her other TV credits include Help, Thirteen, Talking Heads, The White Princess, Rillington Place, Doctor Foster, Lady Chatterley's Lover, My Mad Fat Diary, Remember Me, Inspector George Gently, Vera, Law & Order: UK, Coming Up, Casualty, Good Cop, Silent Witness, Doctors, Justice, Waterloo Road, Holby City, and The Royal Today. Comer most recently starred in Jeff Nichols' 1960s-set The Bikeriders, based on the photobook of the same name by Danny Lyon, and the thriller The End We Start From, based on Megan Hunter's novel. Her other film appearances include The Last Duel and Free Guy.

In 2022, Comer made her Broadway and West End debuts in Suzie Miller's Prima Facie, opening to rave reviews in both locations. Comer won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play as well as the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performances in the one-woman play. Comer recently completed production on Danny Boyle's 28 Years Later alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Ralph Fiennes. Her other upcoming films include Kenneth Branagh's The Last Disturbance of Madeline Hynde and Michael Sarnoski's The Death of Robin Hood.

Kevin Costner

Kevin Costner

Legend of Cinema Award
Friday, Nov. 1, 12:30 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter 1.

Throughout his career, Kevin Costner has varied his acting, writing, producing, and directing choices with comedy, action, and drama productions. Costner has appeared in such popular box office hits as Silverado, No Way Out, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, The Bodyguard, Wyatt Earp, JFK, The Untouchables, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Tin Cup, Thirteen Days, For the Love of the Game, The War, 3,000 Miles to Graceland, Dragonfly, The Upside of Anger, Rumor Has It, The Guardian, Mr. Brooks, Swing Vote, Man of Steel, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, Three Days to Kill, Draft Day, Black & White, Criminal, Hidden Figures, The Highwaymen, and Let Him Go. He also starred in and produced the History Channel miniseries Hatfields & McCoys, which received 16 Emmy Award nominations, while Costner won Best Actor from the Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards. In 2023, he added his second Golden Globe acting win for Paramount's hit Yellowstone, which he also executive produces.

Costner's exceptional filmmaking abilities were showcased in Dances with Wolves, which he produced, directed, and starred in. The film, his feature directorial debut, won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. He last directed the critically acclaimed Open Range in 2003. In 2024, he released the first installment of Horizon: An American Saga, a multifaceted look into the American West that he is directing, producing, and starring in. Through his company Territory Pictures, Costner is also executive producing the upcoming Civil War spy drama The Gray House for Paramount+. He also produced and co-authored The New York Times bestselling adventure novel The Explorers Guild. When Costner is not working on films, he sings lead vocals and plays lead guitar in his band, Modern West, and can be seen playing venues across the country.

Kieran Culkin

Kieran Culkin

Virtuoso Award
Monday, Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening A Real Pain.

Kieran Culkin is best known for his performance in HBO's critically acclaimed series Succession, winning an Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and two Critics Choice Awards for his role as Roman Roy, among numerous other nominations and honors. He is also well-known for his role in Edgar Wright's 2010 cult favorite film Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, starring opposite Brie Larson, Anna Kendrick, and Michael Cera. In 2002, Culkin starred in Igby Goes Down alongside Susan Sarandon, Jeff Goldblum, and Claire Danes, winning a Critics Choice Award for Best Young Actor for his performance. His other film and TV credits include No Sudden Move, Fargo, Father of the Bride, Father of the Bride Part II, Weiner Dog, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, The Mighty, The Cider House Rules, Music of the Heart, Paper Man, Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost In New York, She's All That, Nowhere to Run, and It Runs in the Family. In 2021, he hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Ed Sheeran.

On stage, Culkin starred opposite Michael Cera in the Broadway production of This Is Our Youth, reprising the role of Dennis after performing in both Steppenwolf Theatre and Sydney Opera House's productions. Culkin also made his West End debut in the play in the role of Warren. Culkin also starred opposite Matthew Broderick in Kenneth Lonergan's off-Broadway production of The Starry Messenger and received an Obie Award for his performance as Justin Hammond in the Vineyard Theatre's After Ashley. His other stage credits include the Playwrights Horizons production of James Lapine's The Moment When and the Second Stage Theater production of Suburbia. He will next star in the revival of the cutthroat business play Glengarry Glen Ross set to open in 2025.

Colman Domingo

Colman Domingo

Spotlight Award
Saturday, Oct. 26, 3:30 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Sing Sing.

Colman Domingo has been nominated for numerous awards across stage and screen, including an Academy Award, Tony Award, Independent Spirit Award, and Olivier Award, and won an Emmy Award, Astra Award, AAFCA Award, NAACP Image Award, and Black Reel Award. His role as Civil Rights Era leader Bayard Rustin in Rustin earned him Oscar, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA, and Screen Actors Guild nominations. His other film and TV credits include the SAG Ensemble Award-nominated The Color Purple and an Emmy Award-winning role in HBO's Euphoria, as well as Zola, If Beale Street Could Talk, Selma, Candyman, Fear the Walking Dead, and many others. His latest film is the acclaimed Sing Sing, which he starred in and executive produced. He and Raúl Domingo also executive produced the upcoming thriller It's What's Inside, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

A decorated stage actor, Domingo starred in The London Evening Standard Award-winning The Scottsboro Boys at the Young Vic in London, in a role which he originated in both on- and off-Broadway productions. He is also well-known for his appearances in the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award-winning musical Passing Strange. As a playwright, Domingo made his British and Australian theatrical debuts with his solo play A Boy and His Soul. He also starred in his play Wild With Happy, which is now an Audible original podcast. As a director, Domingo has helmed plays at the People's Light Theatre, Huntington Theatre, Geffen Playhouse, Actors Theater of Louisville, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Domingo will next be seen in the Netflix limited series The Madness, Antoine Fuqua's Michael Jackson biopic Michael, and the Netflix comedy series The Four Seasons.

Karla Sofía Gascón

Karla Sofía Gascón

Distinguished Performance Award
Friday, Nov. 1, 8 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Emilia Pérez.

Karla Sofía Gascón has left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment. Born in Spain, her life has been a journey of constant evolution and reinvention. From her early steps in acting, Gascón showed an innate talent that would lead her to become one of the most versatile and admired actors in film and television today. A move to Mexico cemented her status as an international star, with her work on series and films like El Señor de los Cielos and Nosotros los Nobles catapulting her to stardom. Gascón's great talent for embodying complex characters and her ability to convey deep emotions have made her stand out. Her work on screen has been continuously praised for its authenticity and depth, and she has collaborated with some of the industry's most renowned directors. Her magnetic and fascinating performance as the titular character in Jacques Audiard's Emilia Pérez has redefined her career.

Beyond her achievements in acting, Gascón has become a powerful voice for the LGBTQ+ community, with her transition story inspiring countless people to live their lives with authenticity and pride. A beacon of hope for those seeking to be true to themselves in a world that often resists change, her career and personal life are a testament to a simple yet powerful truth: that talent and authenticity, when intertwined, have the power to transform not only a person, but also the world around them. In every role she takes on, Gascón carries with her an authenticity and commitment to her art that makes her unparalleled.

Kathryn Hahn

Kathryn Hahn

Spotlight in Television Award
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the TV Sidebar screening Agatha All Along.

Kathryn Hahn returns to her Emmy Award-nominated role as Agatha Harkness in the Marvel Cinematic Universe limited series Agatha All Along. She first starred as Agatha in the critically acclaimed 2021 series WandaVision alongside Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany, receiving her second of three Emmy Award nominations. Hahn was nominated for her first Emmy Award for her role in Amazon's Transparent and received an additional nomination for Hulu's limited series Tiny Beautiful Things. Her other TV credits include The Shrink Next Door, I Know This Much is True, Mrs. Fletcher, The Romanoffs, I Love Dick, Happyish, Parks & Recreation, The Newsroom, Girls, Crossing Jordan, Four Kings, Hung, and Free Agents. She also has lent her voice to the animated series Central Park, Chozen, Bob's Burgers, and American Dad.

A prolific film actor, Hahn has appeared in the Golden Globe Award-nominated Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and received a Gotham Awards nomination for her role in Private Life. Her other film credits include Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and its sequel Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation, Flower, Bad Moms, Captain Fantastic, The Do-Over, She's Funny That Way, Tomorrowland, This Is Where I Leave You, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, We're the Millers, Revolutionary Road, Step Brothers, The Last Mimzy, The Holiday, and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. A Northwestern University and Yale School of Drama graduate, Hahn made her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning revival of Boeing-Boeing and has also starred in productions of Dead End, Ten Unknowns, Chaucer in Rome, and Camino Real. She will next star in the Apple TV+ comedy series The Studio from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg.

Jharrel Jerome

Jharrel Jerome

Lumiere Award
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 3 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Unstoppable.

Jharrel Jerome has quickly become one of the most recognized, celebrated, and praised talents in Hollywood following his breakout role in the Academy Award-winning film Moonlight. As the lead in Ava DuVernay's Netflix limited series When They See Us, Jerome won the 2019 Emmy Award for Lead Actor in a Miniseries, the 2020 Critics Choice Award for Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television, and the 2020 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series, or Dramatic Special. His film credits include Selah and the Spades, Robu, Monster, Concrete Cowboy, and First Match, and his TV roles include the HBO special Between the World and Me and the ABC live special Live in Front of a Studio Audience: 'All in the Family' and 'Good Times' as well as the series I'm a Virgo, Full Circle, Mr. Mercedes, and Tales.

A Bronx native and LaGuardia Arts High School graduate, Jerome is also a compelling rapper and hip-hop artist committed to versatility and storytelling in equal measure. He asserted himself as a hip-hop contender in 2023 with his official debut project Someone I'm Not, released in four carefully crafted packs — Rap Pack, Trip Pack, Love Pack, and Trap Pack. Jerome will next appear in William Goldenberg's biopic Unstoppable, which follows the true story of Anthony Robles, a three-time All-American wrestler and collegiate national champion who was born with one leg. Jerome will also lend his voice to the upcoming Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, the third installment in Sony's Spider-Verse universe of animated films.

Felicity Jones

Felicity Jones

Spotlight Award
Thursday, Oct. 31, 7 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening The Brutalist.

Felicity Jones is best known for her Academy Award, BAFTA, Screen Actors Guild Award, and Golden Globe Award-nominated starring role opposite Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Jones started her acting career as a young child while continuing to pursue her education, eventually receiving a degree from Oxford. U.S. audiences first took notice of her in 2011's Like Crazy, a role that earned her a Special Jury Award at the Sundance Film Festival and Breakthrough Actor from the Gotham Awards. Jones has also starred in the Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic On the Basis of Sex, the Star Wars prequel Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and The Aeronauts, which paired her onscreen with Redmayne again. Her other film credits include Inferno, A Monster Calls, The Invisible Woman, True Story, Breathe In, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, and The Midnight Sky.

Her extensive TV credits include the critically acclaimed BBC adaptation of The Diary of Anne Frank, a guest-starring role on HBO's hit series Girls, and an adaptation of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. Jones last starred in and produced the thriller Dead Shot. She has also starred in and executive produced the Netflix drama The Last Letter from Your Lover, based on the novel of the same name by Jojo Moyes. Jones can next be seen in The Brutalist, which premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival to critical acclaim. She is also set to star in Train Dreams opposite Joel Edgerton and the holiday comedy Oh. What. Fun. opposite Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloë Grace Moretz, and Dominic Sessa.

Pablo Larraín

Pablo Larraín

Auteur Award
Saturday, Nov. 2, 7 p.m. 
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Closing Night Gala Screening Maria.

Pablo Larraín is one of the most celebrated Chilean filmmakers and producers working today. He is a founding partner of Fabula Producciones, a company dedicated to film and television production and one of the most prolific production houses in Latin America. His films include No, which starred Gael García Bernal and earned an Academy Award for Best International Feature nomination in 2013; El Club, which won the Silver Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2015 and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best International Feature Film; and Jackie, starring Natalie Portman, and Spencer, starring Kristen Stewart, both of whom were nominated for Best Actress Oscars for their performances in the films. His film El Conde won the Best Screenplay Award at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, while cinematographer Edward Lachman received an Academy Award for Best Cinematography nomination. His most recent film, Maria, stars Angelina Jolie and premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival.

Through Fabula, he has produced numerous films and television series, including A Fantastic Woman, winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2018; the documentary The Eternal Memory, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won the Goya Award for Best Ibero American Film; the TV series Midnight Family (Apple TV+), El Dentista (ViX), and Baby Bandito (Netflix); and the documentary The Doomsday Cult of Antares de la Luz (Netflix).

Richard Linklater

Richard Linklater

Lifetime Achievement in Screenwriting Award
Monday, Oct. 28, 11 a.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Hit Man.

Richard Linklater's feature films include Slacker, Dazed and Confused, the Before trilogy, Boyhood, Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood, and Hit Man. Linklater has been nominated for five Academy Awards and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Director for his work on Boyhood, filmed over the course of 11 years. A native Texan, he serves as artistic director of the Austin Film Society, one of the country's largest film organizations. The society operates a repertory theater, manages a film studio, and has given more than $2.2 million in grants to Texas filmmakers.

Natasha Lyonne

Natasha Lyonne

Maverick Award
Saturday, Oct. 26, 1 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening His Three Daughters.

Five-time Emmy Award and two-time Golden Globe Award nominee Natasha Lyonne continues to push boundaries as a producer, actor, writer, and director after more than four decades in the industry. Lyonne is best-known for her award-nominated roles on Orange Is the New Black, Russian Doll, which she co-created, and Poker Face, which she executive produces under her Animal Pictures banner. Lyonne was signed by the Ford Modeling Agency as a young child and was cast as Opal on Pee-wee's Playhouse at 6 years old. She has also appeared in Slums of Beverly Hills, But I'm a Cheerleader, Everyone Says I Love You, The Grey Zone, Sleeping with Other People, Blade: Trinity, Party Monster, Kate & Leopold, American Pie, Detroit Rock City, A Futile and Stupid Gesture, Irresistible, Portlandia, Girls, Inside Amy Schumer, The Simpsons, Documentary Now, The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy, and Awkwafina is Nora from Queens. She has also directed episodes of Shrill and High Fidelity, as well as the Netflix special Get on Your Knees.

On stage, Lyonne has starred alongside Ethan Hawke in the off-Broadway production of Blood from a Stone and garnered critical acclaim for her performance in Roundabout Theatre Company's production of Tigers Be Still. Her other stage credits include Love, Loss, and What I Wore and Two Years. In 2024, Lyonne's Animal Pictures company signed the first U.S. talent deal with the independent entertainment group Sister. Lyonne can currently be seen in Azazel Jacobs' His Three Daughters. She will next appear in Marvel Studios' reboot of The Fantastic Four in 2025 and lend her voice to Paramount's new animated Smurfs movie. She also recently wrapped production on Taika Waititi's film adaptation of Kazuo Ishiguro's bestselling novel Klara and the Sun.

Mikey Madison

Mikey Madison

Breakthrough Award
Tuesday, Oct. 29, 9:30 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Anora.

Mikey Madison is swiftly solidifying her status as a highly sought-after actor across both film and television. With an impressive array of projects under her belt, Madison's talent and versatility have garnered widespread acclaim. Madison stepped into the spotlight in the titular role in Sean Baker's Anora, which premiered in competition at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and won the Palme d'Or. Her other film credits include Paramount's highly successful Scream 5, where she appeared alongside the cast of the original 1996 cult classic. She also had a memorable role in the Academy Award-nominated Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, where she shared the screen with Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Margot Robbie.

Beyond her film endeavors, the Los Angeles-based Madison continues to make waves in TV, notably in her role in FX's critically acclaimed series Better Things. Starring alongside series creator Pamela Adlon, Madison's compelling portrayal adds depth and nuance to the acclaimed show, earning her praise for her contributions to the ensemble cast. She also stars with Academy Award winner Natalie Portman in the Apple TV+ limited series The Lady in the Lake, which debuted in July.

Isabela Merced

Isabela Merced

Rising Star Award
Sunday, Oct. 27, 9:30 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the After Dark screening Alien: Romulus.

Isabela Merced is a highly regarded actress, singer, dancer, and songwriter with multiple high-profile projects on the horizon. Merced recently earned critical acclaim for her role in Fede Álvarez's new Alien installment Alien: Romulus as well as for her portrayal of Aza in Turtles All the Way Down, the adaptation of John Green's The New York Times bestselling novel of the same name. Her extensive filmography includes the Marvel Comics adaptation Madame Web, the revisionist Romeo & Juliet tale Rosaline, Warner Bros.' remake of Father of the Bride, the Netflix original thriller Sweet Girl, and a voice role in DreamWorks Animation's Spirit Untamed. Her other film credits include Dora and the Lost City of Gold, Let It Snow, Instant Family, Sicario: Day of the Soldado, and Transformers: The Last Knight. Merced will next star in the second season of HBO's critically acclaimed drama series The Last of Us, portraying Dina, a free-wheeling spirit whose devotion to Bella Ramsey's Ellie is tested by the brutality of the world they inhabit. She is also set to star as Hawkgirl in Warner Bros. and DC's highly anticipated Superman franchise.

Steve McQueen

Sir Steve McQueen

Outstanding Achievement in Directing Award
Saturday, Oct. 26, 6 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Opening Night Gala Screening Blitz.

British artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen is an Academy Award winner and British Film Institute Fellow. His critically acclaimed first two features, Hunger and Shame, starred Michael Fassbender and won McQueen the Camera D'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and Fassbender the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival, respectively. McQueen's 12 Years a Slave dominated awards season, winning the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, BAFTA, and AAFCA Awards for Best Picture, while McQueen received DGA, Academy, BAFTA, and Golden Globe directing nominations. McQueen's anthology series Small Axe, comprising five original films about resilience and triumph in London's West Indian community from the late 1960s through the early 1980s, was awarded Best Picture by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and received 15 BAFTA Television nominations. Three of the series' five films played at the 58th New York Film Festival and two were selected for the 2020 Cannes Film Festival. Blitz, his latest film, premieres in theaters and on Apple TV+ in November.

McQueen's most recent documentary work is the feature Occupied City, about the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. His past documentary works include the BAFTA-winning three-part series Uprising, about the tragedy and aftermath of the New Cross fire, which he co-directed and produced. He also served as a co-producer on Three Minutes: A Lengthening, directed and co-written by Bianca Stigter. The recipient of many accolades for his work as a visual artist, McQueen was awarded with the Turner Prize in 1999. He represented Great Britain at the Venice Biennale in 2009 and has exhibited his artwork in major museums around the world.

Demi Moore

Demi Moore

Icon Award
Sunday, Oct. 27, 6:30 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the After Dark screening The Substance.

Demi Moore has proven to be one of the industry's most accomplished performers, lending her talents to an array of revered films and television both in front of and behind the camera. Moore set a record in 1995 when she became the highest-paid actress in Hollywood, a testament to her star power and box office appeal. In the late 1980s, Moore's acting career took off when she starred in St. Elmo's Fire. She has since starred in A Few Good Men, Ghost, Indecent Proposal, Disclosure, G.I. Jane, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle, Bobby, Flawless Happy Tears, The Joneses, Another Happy Day, Brave New World, Corporate Animals, Rough Night, Blind, and Please Baby Please. Moore can most recently be seen in the FX anthology series Feud: Capote vs. The Swans and Coralie Fargeat's The Substance, which premiered to rave reviews at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Moore will next appear in Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace's Paramount+ drama Landman, starring alongside Billy Bob Thornton.

Moore earned a Golden Globe Award nomination and an Emmy Award nomination for starring in and producing the 1950s-set miniseries If These Walls Could Talk. She also directed one segment of the Lifetime anthology film series Five, earning a Directors Guild Award nomination for her work. Moore released her New York Times-bestselling memoir Inside Out in 2019, which delves into her career and personal life, laying bare her defining tumultuous relationship with her mother, her marriages, her struggles balancing stardom with motherhood, and her journey toward openheartedness. She has also lent her voice to the podcast Dirty Diana, which will be adapted into an Amazon series that Moore will executive produce and star in. Moore is a co-founder of Thorn, a nonprofit building technology to defend children from sexual abuse, exploitation, and trafficking.

Lupita Nyong'o

Lupita Nyong'o

Virtuoso Award
Wednesday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Pixels and Pencils: Top Animated Contenders screening The Wild Robot.

Lupita Nyong'o is an Academy Award-winning Kenyan actor, producer, and The New York Times bestselling author. Nyong'o made her feature film debut in Steve McQueen's Academy Award-winning 12 Years a Slave, earning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics Choice Award, an Independent Spirit Award, and an NAACP Image Award for her role as Patsey. She since has made her mark on the industry as Nakia in Disney and Marvel's Black Panther franchise as well as in Jordan Peele's critically acclaimed horror film Us, earning a SAG nomination, NAACP Image Award, and the New York Film Critics Association Award for Best Actress for her dual role as Adelaide and Red.

In 2024, Nyong'o served as president of the international jury at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival and was honored with a CinemaCon Star of the Year Award. Nyong'o most recently starred in Paramount's A Quiet Place spinoff A Quiet Place: Day One, which released in June to critical acclaim and major box office success, making the film the most successful debut in the blockbuster franchise. In 2019, Simon & Schuster released the children's book Sulwe authored by Nyong'o, which explores colorism, or the preferential treatment of those with lighter skin, and how this issue impacts children from a young age across the globe. She also narrated the bestselling book for Netflix's Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices, which earned her an Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Performance in a Children's Program.

Margaret Qualley

Margaret Qualley

Luminary Award
Sunday, Oct. 27, 6:30 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the After Dark screening The Substance.

Margaret Qualley has become one of the most sought-after actors of her generation in the years since her esteemed debut on the critically acclaimed HBO series The Leftovers. She has earned two Emmy Award nominations for her roles in the Netflix limited series Maid and the FX limited series Fosse/Verdon, also earning Critics Choice Award nominations for both. Qualley's film credits include Native Son, Novitiate, Seberg, My Salinger Year, Donnybrook, Adam, The Nice Guys, Palo Alto, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Sanctuary, Stars at Noon, Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness, and Drive-Away Dolls. She has also appeared in Olivia Wilde's short film Wake Up, Hideo Kojima's critically acclaimed video game Death Stranding, and a Kenzo Perfume ad campaign filmed by director Spike Jonze. Qualley can be currently seen starring opposite Demi Moore in Coralie Fargeat's The Substance, which won the Cannes Film Festival's Best Screenplay award and the Toronto International Film Festival's People's Choice Midnight Madness Award. Her upcoming films include Ethan Coen's Honey Don't, where she will star alongside Aubrey Plaza and Chris Evans; Richard Linklater's Blue Moon, also starring Ethan Hawke and Andrew Scott; and Huntington, where she will star with Glen Powell.

Jason Reitman

Jason Reitman

Vanguard Director Award
Wednesday, Oct. 30, 8 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Saturday Night.

Jason Reitman is a four-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker who made his feature film debut with the 2006 Sundance Film Festival hit Thank You for Smoking. Reitman earned Oscar nominations for directing Juno and Up in the Air, the latter of which also earned Reitman a Golden Globe Award, WGA Award, and BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay. His other films include Young Adult, Tully, The Front Runner, and Ghostbusters: Afterlife. Reitman also executive produced the Oscar-winning film Whiplash and the Jean-Marc Vallée-directed Demolition and served as a producer on the cult hit Jennifer's Body and Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire. He also produced four seasons of the Hulu comedy series Casual. Reitman was an artist-in-residence at Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), where he co-created the smash hit Live Read series. He currently serves as a governor in the director's branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Recently, Reitman made headlines as the leader of a coalition of more than 35 filmmakers acquiring and preserving the historic Village Theater in Westwood, Calif.

Daisy Ridley

Daisy Ridley

Lumiere Award
Monday, Oct. 28, 4:30 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening Young Woman and the Sea.

Daisy Ridley continues to make her mark on Hollywood as one of the most dynamic actors of our time. She is best known for her breakthrough role as Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, a role she reprised in the sequels Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. She is set to return to the role for a New Jedi Order film directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy. Her other film credits include Young Woman and the Sea, The Marsh King's Daughter, The Inventor, Sometimes I Think About Dying, Chaos Walking, Ophelia, Peter Rabbit, Murder on the Orient Express, Only Yesterday, and The Eagle Huntress. She has also lent her voice to audiobooks and documentary films, including Islanders, Asteroid Hunters, Baba Yaga, and The Dawn of the Art. Additionally, she sang the duet "At the Ballet" from A Chorus Line with Anne Hathaway for Barbra Streisand's Encore: Movie Partners Sing Broadway album. In 2016, Ridley was honored with an Oscar Wilde Award by the nonprofit US-Ireland Alliance, which recognizes the contribution of Irish actors in film.

Ridley has several upcoming projects in the works. Her first, the noir thriller Magpie, is based on a story she developed and premiered at SXSW in 2024. Ridley recently completed filming on the London-set thriller Cleaner and is currently filming the survival thriller We Bury the Dead. She has several more projects in development, including an Agatha Christie-centered murder mystery series, The Christie Affair; an adaptation of The Better Liar for Amazon that Ridley will star in and executive produce; the futuristic thriller Mind Fall; and an adaptation of the bestselling novel The Women in the Castle, about three widows whose late husbands planned an assassination attempt of Adolf Hitler.

RaMell Ross

RaMell Ross

Breakthrough Director Award
Friday, Nov. 1, 5 p.m.
Lucas Theatre for the Arts

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Nickel Boys.

RaMell Ross is an artist, filmmaker, writer, and liberated documentarian. He has been awarded an Aaron Siskind Foundation Individual Photographer's Fellowship, a Howard Foundation Fellowship, and a USA Artist Fellowship. He was also named a 2022 Solomon Fellow at Harvard University. His feature experimental documentary Hale County This Morning, This Evening won a Special Jury Award for Creative Vision at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and a 2020 Peabody Award. The film was also nominated for Best Documentary Feature Film at the Academy Awards and an Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking. Ross holds degrees in sociology and English from Georgetown University and is an associate professor in Brown University's visual art department. His work is in various public and private collections, including the Museum for Modern Art, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, and the High Museum. His book Spell, Time, Practice, American, Body was shortlisted for the Kraszna-Krausz Foundation photobook award.

Zoe Saldaña

Zoe Saldaña

Vanguard Award
Friday, Nov. 1, 8 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening Emilia Pérez.

Zoe Saldaña has steadily earned a reputation as one of the most versatile and respected powerhouses in the film and TV industry, with a remarkable career spanning more than 20 years as an actor and producer. As the only actor in history to have starred in four films that have grossed over $2 billion — including the top three highest-grossing films of all time, Avatar, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Avengers: Endgame — Saldaña's passionate commitment to seeking compelling and indelible roles has remained constant.

Most recently, Saldaña starred in and executive produced the independent film The Absence of Eden, directed by Marco Perego in his feature film debut. She currently stars in Taylor Sheridan's undercover CIA drama series Lioness for Paramount+, which she also executive produces with her production company Cinestar Pictures. Saldaña can currently be seen in the Spanish-language musical crime comedy from Jacques Audiard, Emilia Pérez, which premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and took home the Jury Prize. Saldaña received the festival's prestigious Best Actress Award alongside the female ensemble. Netflix will release the film in theaters this fall.

Chris Sanders

Chris Sanders

Icon of Animation Award
Wednesday, Oct. 30, 7 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Pixels and Pencils: Top Animated Contenders screening The Wild Robot.

A three-time Academy Award nominee, writer and director Chris Sanders is best known for his work on Lilo & Stitch, How to Train Your Dragon, and The Croods. A Colorado Springs, Colo. native, Sanders grew up drawing and penning short stories. He applied and was accepted to CalArts' animation program after his grandmother discovered the school in a newspaper article. He went on to work for Disney as a story artist on Rescuers Down Under and received writer, story by, or screenplay credits on Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, and Mulan. Sanders wrote, storyboarded, and directed Lilo & Stitch with Dean DeBlois, earning his first Oscar nomination. In addition, Sanders voiced (and continues to voice) the titular character of Stitch.

Sanders joined DreamWorks Animation in 2006, contributing to the Shrek, Madagascar, and Kung Fu Panda franchises and reteaming with DeBlois to direct How to Train Your Dragon, earning his second Oscar nod. Following the success of that franchise — which includes two Oscar-nominated sequels, a multiple Emmy Award-winning TV series, multiple theme park attractions, and countless consumer products — Sanders partnered with Kirk DeMicco to write and direct the Academy Award-nominated blockbuster The Croods, establishing yet another DreamWorks franchise. Sanders made his live-action directorial debut with The Call of the Wild, starring Harrison Ford. His latest film is DreamWorks' The Wild Robot, which released to critical acclaim in September. Sanders is a member of the Academy Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, ASIFA-Hollywood, and the Visual Effects Society. In addition to his three Oscar nominations, Sanders has been recognized by ASIFA-Hollywood numerous times throughout his career, winning four Annie Awards as well as earning numerous accolades around the world for his work.

Sebastian Stan

Sebastian Stan

Maverick Award
Saturday, Nov. 2, 2 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Signature Screening A Different Man.

Sebastian Stan has built an impressive career with notable performances and multiple award recognitions. In 2024, he received the Silver Bear Award for Best Leading Performance at the Berlin Film Festival for his role in A Different Man, playing an aspiring actor with neurofibromatosis who undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. Stan also garnered Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Critics Choice Award nominations for his transformative portrayal of Tommy Lee in Hulu's Pam and Tommy limited series. Stan has portrayed the role of Bucky Barnes in seven of the billion-dollar Marvel Cinematic Universe films, including Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man, Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: Civil War, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, and Captain America: The First Avenger, as well as the Marvel miniseries The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. He recently wrapped production on Marvel's Thunderbolts, reprising his beloved role as Barnes.

Stan's other film credits include Fresh; Endings, Beginnings; Destroyer; I, Tonya; Dumb Money; Sharper; The 355; Monday; Logan Lucky; The Martian; Ricki and the Flash; and Black Swan. Stan's TV appearances include Gossip Girl and Greg Berlanti's miniseries Political Animals, for which he earned a TCA Award nomination. On the stage, Stan made his Broadway debut opposite Liev Schreiber in Eric Bogosian's Tony Award-nominated revival of Talk Radio. He also starred alongside Maggie Grace and Ellen Burstyn in the 2013 revival of William Inge's Picnic. Stan's next film, the highly anticipated The Apprentice, premiered at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and earned rave reviews for both the film and Stan's performance. The film, which stars Stan as Donald Trump alongside Jeremy Strong as lawyer Roy Cohn, chronicles the relationship between the two men in 1980s New York.

Danielle Deadwyler John David Washington Malcolm Washington

Cast and crew of 'The Piano Lesson'

Ensemble Award
Saturday, Oct. 26, 8:30 p.m.
Trustees Theater

This award will be presented as part of the Gala Screening The Piano Lesson. Additional in-person honorees include cast members Skylar Aleece Smith and Michael Potts.

Danielle Deadwyler has acted since childhood and throughout her collegiate education, which provided the foundation for her professional career. Deadwyler earned multiple awards and nominations for her role in Till as Emmett Till's mother Mamie Till-Mobley. Her other film and TV credits include From Scratch, Station Eleven, The Harder They Fall, The Devil to Pay, The Haves and Have Nots, and Watchmen. In addition to The Piano Lesson, Deadwyler recently wrapped production on Jaume Collet-Serra's action thriller Carry On and will star in and executive produce The Women in the Yard, also directed by Collet-Serra.

John David Washington rose to stardom as the lead in Spike Lee's BlacKkKlansman, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and won its Grand Prix. Washington received multiple nominations for his portrayal of Ron Stallworth, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. His other film and TV credits include Malcolm & Marie, Tenet, Amsterdam, The Creator, Ballers, Beckett, and Monster. In 2022, Washington made his Broadway debut in August Wilson's The Piano Lesson alongside Samuel L. Jackson, who he also stars with in the film adaptation. Prior to acting, Washington spent six years playing professional football.

Malcolm Washington makes his feature film directorial debut with Netflix's The Piano Lesson, an adaptation of August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize-winning masterwork. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania and the prestigious American Film Institute, Washington went on to direct award-winning short films and music videos. His previous credits include She's Gotta Have It, Summer of 17, The Dispute, and North Hollywood.

Entertainment Weekly's Breaking Big Panel

Friday, Nov. 1, 12 p.m.
Gutstein Gallery

Austin Abrams

Austin Abrams

Breaking Big Honoree

A rising star with an exceptional ability to captivate audiences and critics alike, Austin Abrams has quickly established himself as one of Hollywood's most compelling and sought-after actors. He is best known for his roles on HBO's wildly successful Euphoria, where he recurs as the beloved Ethan, and the Netflix film Do Revenge, which became one of the streamer's most watched programs when it debuted. His film and TV credits include Dash & Lily, Brad's Status, Paper Towns, This Is Us, The Walking Dead, Silicon Valley, Shameless, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, Gangster Squad, Chemical Hearts, The Starling Girl, The Americans, SMILF, and The Inbetweeners. Abrams recently starred opposite George Clooney and Brad Pitt in Jon Watts' Wolfs. He will next appear in Ethan Berger's The Line and the Netflix series Penelope. He also recently wrapped production on the mystery thriller Weapons, which is set to release in 2026.

Monica Barbaro

Monica Barbaro

Breaking Big Honoree

Talented and charismatic actor Monica Barbaro continues to expand her repertoire with new projects and dynamic roles. Barbaro's film and TV credits include Top Gun: Maverick, The Cathedral, At Midnight, Chicago Justice, Chicago P.D., The Good Cop, Unreal, and Hemingway and Gelhorn. Barbaro will next be seen starring as iconic folk singer Joan Baez opposite Timothee Chalamet in A Complete Unknown, James Mangold's upcoming Bob Dylan biopic. She also recently completed production on the second season of Netflix's hit action-comedy series FUBAR. The series' first season quickly rose in Netflix's charts, becoming one of the streamer's most watched original series upon its release in 2023. Born and raised in California, Barbaro is a classically trained ballet dancer and has also studied modern dance, salsa, flamenco, and West African dance.

Nicholas Alexander Chavez

Nicholas Alexander Chavez

Breaking Big Honoree

Nicholas Alexander Chavez stars in Ryan Murphy's Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story, where his portrayal of eldest brother Lyle was widely praised for its emotional depth and subtle complexity, skillfully capturing the character's shifting emotions and inner turmoil while unraveling the tragic family dynamics that contributed to this shocking crime. Released in September to acclaim, Monsters became Netflix's No. 1 show in the U.S. for two consecutive weeks. Chavez also stars in Murphy's newest horror drama series, Hulu and FX's Grotesquerie, where he brings a haunting intensity and dark humor to his role as a priest navigating the balance between his traditional faith, modern ideals, and the intense passions of youth. Chavez received critical acclaim for his role on the long-running soap opera General Hospital, which earned him the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Performer in a Drama Series in 2022.

Ethan Herisse

Ethan Herisse

Breaking Big Honoree

Actor Ethan Herisse first garnered critical acclaim for his moving performance in Ava DuVernay's award-winning Netflix limited series When They See Us. His other notable film and TV credits include The American Society of Magical Negroes, Chicago Med, About a Boy, The Mindy Project, and Key & Peele. He has also starred in the short film The Other Side, inspired by a true story and set against the Ethiopian abandoned children crisis. Herisse will next star in RaMell Ross's Nickel Boys, the film adaptation of Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Nickel Boys. A graduate of the University of California, Irvine, Herisse was musical director of the competitive acapella group Vermillion Vocalists while in college. He was also a member of the award-winning choir Powerhouse during his high school career.

Ebony Obsidian

Ebony Obsidian

Breaking Big Honoree

Ebony Obsidian is a rising actor and an aspiring humanitarian for refugees displaced by conflict and disaster. Obsidian's film and TV credits include Sistas — the highest-rated scripted TV show on cable among Black Americans — Wu Tang: An American Saga, Hunters, Master of None, and If Beale Street Could Talk. She will next appear in Tyler Perry's The Six Triple Eight, a Netflix film spotlighting the untold story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, the only predominantly Black U.S. Women's Army Corps unit sent overseas during World War II. Obsidian serves as an Ambassador for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), a global humanitarian aid, relief, and development nongovernmental organization that responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises. She is inspired by her mother, who fled Eritrea during its nearly 30-year war with Ethiopia and resettled in the U.S. A first-generation American, Obsidian was born in and resides in New York.

Savannah Lee Smith

Savannah Lee Smith

Breaking Big Honoree

Savannah Lee Smith gained widespread recognition for her standout performance as the scheming and stylish Monet De Haan in HBO Max's Gossip Girl reboot. Smith will next star in Prime Video's highly anticipated TV adaptation of Cruel Intentions, an updated take on the 1999 cult classic movie. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Smith developed a passion for the arts early on performing in her high school theater productions. She later attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she studied music production and drama. Smith recently wrapped production on the film The Upside of Unrequited, a coming-of-age comedy adapted from the bestselling novel by Becky Albertalli.

Past honorees

Past guests have included Ron Howard, Eddie Redmayne, Samuel L. Jackson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Salma Hayek Pinault, Jenna Ortega, Robert Pattinson, and Aunjanue Ellis.

View all past guests