The Academy Museum Gala returned in star-studded style on Saturday night for its second annual celebration, honoring this year’s honorees julia robert, Tilda Swinton, Steve McQueen and Miky Lee.
Featured guests at the Los Angeles event also included George ClooneyEmma Stone, Spike Lee, Jessica Chastain, Eddie Redmayne, Laura Dern, Michelle Yeoh, Kerry Washington, Ava DuVernay, Selena Gomez, Olivia Wilde, Glenn Close, Sterling K. Brown, Jonathan Majors, Selma Blair, Christina Ricci, Keke Palmer, Mindy Kaling, Regina Hall, Julianna Margulies , Natasha Lyonne, Adrien Brody, Ron Howard, Ryan Murphy and Luca Guadagnino, who mingled on the carpet and inside the exclusive gala. (See photos here).
Swinton, who received the Visionary Award for “an artist or scholar whose extensive work has advanced the art of cinema,” said The Hollywood Reporter that the recognition was “a kind of unimaginable honor”.
“I can’t understand,” she continued. “I don’t really know what it is until we get in there, it’s almost too much.”
McQueen, who received the Vantage Award for “an artist or scholar who has helped contextualize and challenge mainstream narratives around film,” added that “it is an honor to be honored by the Academy – who else would you want to be honored by for a director?”
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Miky Lee, who serves as vice-chairman of the museum’s board of trustees, received the Pillar Award for “exemplary leadership and support for the Academy Museum” and Roberts received the inaugural Gala Icon Award for “an artist whose career has had a significant impact”. global cultural impact.
Robert’s appearance created quite a fanfare among the star-studded crowd, as Chastain – who walked the press line with her The good nurse costar Redmayne – joked that “Julia Roberts brought it out, he’s very excited that Julia Roberts is here tonight”, a sentiment confirmed by Redmayne. When asked if he had any conversation starters planned for Roberts, Chastain teased, “I’m just a boy, standing in front of a girl, asking her to love him…” from Notting Hill fame, as Redmayne revealed that this encounter would actually be a second attempt.
“I actually met her once, she very generously gave me an award once, and I made a fool of myself,” the actor said. “I just gushed. I felt embarrassed about it. And since the gala also serves as a major fundraiser for the museum, Chastain also noted, “They raised $11 million last year so I hope – open your wallet, Redmayne. Do 12!
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Swinton was also getting love on the carpet, especially from Majors, who called the star his favorite actress. “I heard she’s going to be here. I may be too shy to talk to him, but he’s my favorite,” he said, while referring to the importance of the Academy Museum, which houses the history of cinema in Los Angeles.
“Film is the tool of democracy and if we can put our progress in capsules, if we can commemorate it in any way, we should,” he said. “It shows ways to live, and to live better, teach us lessons. I am happy to be here and to honor these people today and their contributions.
Swinton added herself: “The problem with cinema is that it never gets old and it is really important that the archives are accessible to everyone. And this museum is truly phenomenal. I walked around it yesterday and it’s so lively and so inclusive. I think anyone who lives in LA should just hang out here as much as they can.
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Inside the event, guests – who also included Judd Apatow, Jason Blum, The Daniels, Xolo Maridueña, Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas, Hailey Bieber, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jurnee Smollett, Lily Collins, Kaitlyn Dever, BJ Novak, Alexandra Daddario, Alexa Demie, Colman Domingo, Lena Dunham, Jay Ellis, Danny Ramirez and Rebel Wilson – kicked off the celebration with a cocktail reception at Fanny’s Museum Restaurant, where Ron Howard and Spike Lee chatted while Thuso Mbedu was sitting in a cubicle with her. Woman King director Gina Prince-Bythewood. Yeoh also hosted a choir who came to perform on the restaurant’s balcony before the party moved to the main hall.
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For the awards portion, Jeffrey Katzenberg introduced Miky Lee, noting that she was an early investor in DreamWorks; Guadagnino, who walked the mat with his bones and all star Taylor Russell, introduced to Swinton, who starred in his sighs. Daniel Kaluuya introduced McQueen, who directed him in widowsand Clooney presented to his ticket to paradise co-star Roberts (who wore Thom Browne).
At the end of the night, Diana Ross stepped in for a special surprise performance, as Universal’s Blum, Alicia Vikander and Donna Langley were among those who grooved to her hits. This year’s gala raised $10 million to support the museum’s access, education and programming initiatives.
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The event was also co-chaired by Academy museum trustees Blum and Ryan Murphy, as well as Halle Berry and Lupita Nyong’o. Gala Creative Director Lisa Love and Artistic Director Raul Àvila oversaw production and event design for the evening, which was presented by Rolex, and guests were sent home with a bag of chocolates from the luxury watch brand.