A-list stars poked fun at themselves and each other at the Palm Springs Film Festival as awards season kicked off in high spirits.
The 36th annual International Film Awards took place in Palm Springs, California, with an intimate gala attended by Hollywood actors such as Angelina Jolie, Adrien Brody, Jamie Lee Curtis, Nicole Kidman and Colman Domingo.
Jennifer Coolidge was also at the ceremony, where she presented Wicked actor and pop singer Ariana Grande with the Rising Star award.
The White Lotus star couldn’t help but observe how Grande is already a household name, quipping: “Hasn’t Ariana already risen?”
Grande, who almost dropped the heavy trophy onstage, responded by joking that she’d expected to receive “the withering star” award, aged 31, and playfully gave thanks to her “good friends Botox and Juvederm”.
The pair are firm friends, with Coolidge starring in the music video for Grande’s hit single, “Thank U, Next”, in 2018. In a 2022 interview, Coolidge credited the cameo with saving her “flatlining” career.
Elsewhere at the ceremony, Timothee Chalamet jokingly apologised to Jake Gyllenhaal who was in “the earlier, smaller movies” by director Denis Villeneuve, to whom he presented the Visionary Award.
“Perhaps if I could paint a throughline for Denis’ movies is that they just keep getting bigger and better. Apologies to Jake Gyllenhaal once more, who was in the earlier, smaller movies,” he said.
Succession star Kieran Culkin was in a similar boat to Grande, as he pointed out he was receiving a Breakthrough Award-Actor for his work in Jesse Eisenberg’s A Real Pain after working in the industry for over 30 years.
“It’s weird to be here, to have been doing this for over 36 years. Perfect time to get my breakthrough award,” he told the audience.
In a more sombre moment, Kidman gave a long-awaited dedication to her late mother, who died in 2024, shortly after Kidman arrived at the Venice Film Festival to promote her film Babygirl.
“I feel my momma right now. This is for you, momma,” Kidman said onstage through tears. “I didn’t get to do it at the Venice Film Festival. Thank you for giving me the chance to say this is for my mom. My whole career has been for my mom and dad.”
Kidman's Scarpetta co-star and friend, Jamie Lee Curtis, presented her with the International Star Award.
Colman Domingo, who was presented with the Spotlight Award by his friend Demi Moore, reflected on art’s ability to transform lives, nodding to his recent film Sing Sing about a group of incarcerated men who find purpose in a jail theatre group.
“I found art when I really needed it to be a parachute to save my life,” Domingo said. “Art saves lives. It saved mine. It will save yours.”
While receiving the Chairman Award, Chalamet said he felt “clear-sighted” about his career and credited legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan for indirectly providing him with the perspective he needed.
Chalamet, who stars as Dylan in A Complete Unknown, spent more than five years preparing for his transformation into the folk musician.
“A wise man once said, ‘They can hurt your feelings if they boo you, they can also kill you with kindness.’ I took my anxiety about tonight as a good sign that I’m actually focused on what really matters. The work and the opportunity to do the work again," Chalamet said.
Many of the stars will now be making their way to Los Angeles for the annual Golden Globe awards, which take place on Sunday (5 January).
