Academy Museum Gala picks starry honorees for its fall fundraiser
By LINDSEY BAHR
AP Film Writer
Rita Moreno and Paul Mescal are getting together with Quentin Tarantino in October. It’s not for a movie (yet). All three are being honored at the glamorous Academy Museum Gala, the organization said Monday.
The event is only in its fourth year but has established itself as a reliably impressive gathering of the biggest stars in entertainment. Its guest list, and fashion, rival the Oscars. This year’s co-chairs include Nicole Kidman, Salma Hayek Pinault, Eva Longoria, Tyler Perry and Academy Museum Trustee Dr. Eric Esrailian.
The newly announced host committee is also a who’s who of Hollywood, including Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, Dwayne Johnson, Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Regina King, Jennifer Lawrence, Ke Huy Quan, Kirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons, Denis Villeneuve, “Wicked” co-stars Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, and the internet’s latest boyfriends: Josh O’Connor and Nicholas Galitzine.
“The Academy Museum Gala celebrates the power, global impact, and indelible importance of cinema,” said Amy Homma, the museum’s incoming director and president, in a statement. Homma added that the honorees’ “groundbreaking achievements, filmmaking influence, and demonstrated versatility will continue to inspire generations of artists and filmmakers.”
Mescal will be recognized with the Vantage Award, for emerging artists, Moreno is getting the Icon Award for the significant global impact of her career and Tarantino will be given the Luminary Award for expanding the “creative possibilities of cinema.”
The event, set for Oct. 19 in Los Angeles, functions as a fundraiser for the museum, including its exhibitions, education initiatives and public programming.
