Danielle Brooks is getting her flowers this awards season.
For her role in the upcoming musical adaptation of The Color Purple, the actress will receive the Spotlight Award, Actress, at the Film Awards ceremony during the Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan. 4, 2024.
“In The Color Purple, Danielle Brooks revisits her Tony-nominated portrayal of Sofia, a force to be reckoned with who challenges traditional female roles and stands for what she believes in,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “For her exceptional work and a scene-stealing performance, it is our honor to present the Spotlight Award, Actress to Danielle Brooks.”
Other 2024 honorees include Colman Domingo, who will be honored with the Spotlight Award, Actor award for his performance in Rustin.
“In Rustin, Colman Domingo demonstrates his impressive talents bringing to life civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, an organizer of the 1963 March on Washington,” said Chandi. “For this career defining performance, it is our honor to present the Spotlight Award, Actor to Colman Domingo.”
Carey Mulligan is being recognized for her performance as Leonard Bernstein’s wife, Felicia Montealegre, in Bradley Cooper’s biopic, Maestro. She’ll be honored with the International Star Award, Actress award.
“In this historical and personal examination of famed composer Leonard Bernstein, Carey Mulligan measures both ends of true love – its extraordinary heights and intense lows – conveying a striking role as Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein,” said Chandi. “For this performance and her remarkable stature in world cinema, we are honored to present the International Star Award, Actress to Carey Mulligan.”
American Fiction star Jeffrey Wright will be recognized with the Career Achievement Award.
“Jeffrey Wright has a prolific acting career from his Tony Award-winning performance in the Broadway production of Angels in America to his TV roles in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire and Westworld and on the big screen in Basquiat, The Batman, The French Dispatch and the James Bond films,” Chandi raved. “In his latest film American Fiction, he gives an exceptional and smart performance as an author on the brink of a choice between his integrity and giving in to societal stereotypes. For this career-best performance, which will be recognized throughout this award season, we are honored to present the Career Achievement Award to Jeffrey Wright.”
Greta Gerwig will receive the Director of the Year Award for her successful blockbuster Barbie
“Director Greta Gerwig has brought us the cinematic experience of the year with Barbie, the perfect blend of comedy, emotion and adventure that has both entertained and resonated with audiences, becoming a cultural touchstone around the world,” said Chandi. “Gerwig is a masterful filmmaker, and her vision is brought to life so vividly by both the script she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach, and by her clear and singular collaboration with her extraordinary crafts teams, whose visuals are matched only by the outstanding performances delivered by Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling and the entire cast. It is our honor to present the Director of the Year Award to Greta Gerwig.”
Da’Vine Joy Randolph will be honored with the Breakthrough Performance Award for her role in The Holdovers .
“In The Holdovers, Da’Vine Joy Randolph brings not only her significant comedic talents to the table, but also extremely moving emotional depth to her portrayal of Barton Academy head cook Mary Lamb, who is grieving the recent loss of her son,” Chandi praised. “It is our honor to present the Breakthrough Performance Award, to this talented actress in celebration of her outstanding work and recognizing her emerging talent.”
Cillian Murphy will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor, for his intense portrayal of the titular physicist in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.
“After working together on five previous films, including The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, and Dunkirk, Cillian Murphy and writer-director Christopher Nolan reunite for one of the most ambitious and epic films of the year. Murphy gives a stunning portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer as a conflicted scientist leading the Manhattan Project to produce the world’s first atomic bomb,” said Chandi. “For this career-best performance, we are honored to present the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor, to Cillian Murphy.”
Emma Stone will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress for her role in Yorgos Lanthimos’ upcoming dark fantasy-comedy, Poor Things, in which she plays Bella, a young woman brought back to life by an eccentric scientist.
“Emma Stone continues to exert influence as one of the most important actresses of this generation, whose performances are always exceptional no matter the role. In her latest film Poor Things, Emma delivers a burning intensity and character bound for liberation,” said Chandi. “There is no one better suited for this role, and it is our honor to present the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress, to Emma Stone.”
The actress was previously honored at the festival in 2016, winning the Vanguard Award alongside co-star Ryan Gosling and director Damien Chazelle for La La Land — she went on that year to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the movie musical. This year, the Vanguard Award will be presented to Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon.
The Palm Springs International Film Awards is set to take place on Jan. 4, 2024 at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival — sponsored by Entertainment Tonight and IHG Hotels & Resorts — running through Jan. 15.
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