(Left to right:) America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone and Charles Melton at the Santa Barbara Film Festival’s Virtuosos Awards Feb. 10.Photo:Rebecca Sapp/Getty
Rebecca Sapp/Getty
Some of the year’s most acclaimed performers were celebrated Saturday at theSanta Barbara International Film Festival.
At the 39th edition of the festival, six standouts from awards season contenders were honored at the Virtuosos Awards:America FerreraforBarbie,Lily GladstoneforKillers of the Flower Moon,Greta LeeforPast Lives,Charles MeltonforMay December,Da’Vine Joy RandolphforThe Holdovers,andAndrew ScottforAll of Us Strangers.
BeforeJane Lynchdid the honors and presented the honorees with their trophies, they staged a roundtable-style discussion.
When asked which of their acting idols had seen and commented on their respective movie performances, theOscar-nominatedGladstone, 37, revealed that her “queen,“Cate Blanchett, showered her with praise during a recentKillers of the Flower Moonevent in London.
(Left to right:) America Ferrera, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee at Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Virtuosos Awards Feb. 10.Presley Ann/Getty
Presley Ann/Getty
“I’m glad it’s on video because I wouldn’t believe it,” the actress told Karger and the crowd. “Since I wanted to act in film, my queen has been Cate Blanchett — and she still is.”
After Blanchett introduced her and costarLeonardo DiCaprioat the event, recalled Gladstone, “I just said quietly to the audience, ‘Cate Blanchett’s my favorite actress.’ And she said, ‘You’re my favorite actress too.’ Very gracious. Thank you, Cate.”
“You just said Cate Blanchett and I was going to [answer] my brother,” joked Lee, 40, who plays Korean expat Nora in the award-winningPast Lives.
“I think I can share the sentiment that I know that we all have experienced this ridiculous outgrowing of love, this unique and unnatural situation when you get to hear from peers and idols,” she said of the ongoing awards season. “I don’t want to brag, but everyone fromNicolas Cageto [Jennifer Lopez] toGuillermo del Toro— it’s just been unreal.”
Lopez “politely waited for more,” said Lee, who apparently couldn’t think of anything else to add. “It’s not okay!”
(Left to right:) Greta Lee, Charles Melton, Da’Vine Joy and Andrew Scott at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Virtuosos Awards Feb. 10.Presley Ann/Getty
Scott, 47, who earned rave reviews for his performance as the grieving Adam inAndrew Haigh’sAll of Us Strangers, namedJodie Fosterwhen asked for his proudest moment of praise.
“She was incredibly gracious, wonderful,” said the Irish actor of meeting Foster at the 2024Golden Globe Awards. He then poked fun at Lee, joking, “I said, ‘I wuv you Jo-wie Foster.’ "
Melton, 33, who went toe-to-toe withNatalie PortmanandJulianne Moorein Todd Haynes’May December,saidJoaquin Phoenixcommended his breakout performance.
Ferrera, meanwhile, Oscar-nominated for her scene-stealing work inGreta Gerwig’sBarbie, said she was honored tohear kind wordsfrom her idolTom Hanks. “Oh man, I’m not going to cry,” the actress, 39, told the SBIFF crowd.
“He came up to me at an event and he said very nice things to me and I’m still recovering from it,” recalled Ferrera. “I’m not ready to talk about what he said!”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dave Karger at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Virtuosos Awards Feb. 10.Rebecca Sapp/Getty
For her work as boarding school cook Mary Lamb in Alexander Payne’sThe Holdovers, Randolph, 37, said that in addition to her accolades, a certainOnly Murders in the Buildingcostar offered praise.
Asked if anyone from that cast had given her feedback, the Oscar nominee responded, “You knew that’s exactly who I was going to:Meryl Streep.” She then mimed a mic drop, to applause and laughter from her fellow honorees.
Streep, she added, “was really quiet and I was like, ‘Wait, what? I want to hear everything!’ It was subtle, it felt like I was inDevil Wears Prada. I was shaking inside [to hear] her review… Yeah, she dug it.”
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Jane Lynch at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Virtuosos Awards Feb. 10.Tibrina Hobson/Getty
Tibrina Hobson/Getty
The Santa Barbara Film Festival, which this year runs from Feb. 7 to 17, is a major stepping stone for award contenders in the lead-up to theAcademy Awards. The Virtuosos Awards recipients among the 2024Oscar nomineesare Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), Gladstone, Ferrera, Randolph and Colman Domingo (forRustin).
BarbiestarRyan Gosling,Maestrowriter-director-starBradley Cooper, andOppenheimerstarRobert Downey Jr.have alsoaccepted honorsfrom the Santa Barbara Film Festival.Mark Ruffalo,Martin Scorsese, Justine Triet,Paul Giamatti,Jeffrey WrightandAnnette Beningwill each also receive accolades of their own.
source: people.com
