Denzel Washington was surprised at the Cannes Film Festival on Monday night with an honorary Palme d’Or, a career achievement acknowledgement that had been presented only 21 previous times.
Ahead of an out of competition screening of his latest film, Spike Lee’s Highest 2 Lowest, fest director Thierry Fremaux surprised the Oscar-winning actor with the honor.
Washington is making a quick stop at Cannes in between performances of Othello on Broadway.
An honorary Palme was presented on the opening night of this year’s fest to Robert De Niro, but that was announced in advance, as have been all honorary Palme presentations since 2022, when Fremaux handed an unannounced one to Tom Cruise.
Other previous recipients of Cannes’ honorary Palme, which was first presented in 2002, include Catherine Deneuve, Jane Fonda, Clint Eastwood, Agnès Varda, Jodie Foster, Harrison Ford, Michael Douglas and, last year, Meryl Streep and George Lucas. Also last year, Studio Ghibli became the first organization, as opposed to individual, to receive the honor.
More to come.
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