Melissa McCarthy will receive this year’s Spotlight Award at the 30th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in recognition of her dramatic turn in this year’s “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
Richard E. Grant, McCarthy’s co-star in the film, will present the award. McCarthy joins Glenn Close and Rami Malek as the other honorees of this year’s festival.
Previous recipients of the Spotlight Award include Amy Adams, Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston, Andrew Garfield, Helen Hunt, Allison Janney, Rooney Mara, Julia Roberts and J.K. Simmons.
McCarthy is a contender for Best Actress for her work as real-life author Lee Israel in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” and all of the previous recipients of the Spotlight Award have gone on to receive Academy Award nominations in the year they were honored, with Simmons winning an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and Janney receiving an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in their respective years.
“Melissa McCarthy delivers a heartbreaking performance as author Lee Israel, perfectly portraying Israel’s loneliness as she struggles with her own relevance in society,” said Festival chairman Harold Matzner in a statement. “McCarthy’s dramatic turn is truly captivating and deserving of awards recognition. It is our honor to present this year’s Spotlight Award to Melissa McCarthy.”
In the film, McCarthy stars as Lee Israel, a celebrity biographer who turns to forging letters from literary legends after falling on hard financial times. Dolly Wells, Jane Curtin, Ben Falcone, Anna Deavere Smith and Stephen Spinella co-star in Marielle Heller’s film.
The Palm Springs International Film Festival is in its 30th year. The Film Awards Gala, hosted by Mary Hart and Entertainment Tonight and presented by American Express, will be held on Thursday, Jan. 3 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The festival runs Jan. 3-14.
Saoirse Ronan, Gal Gadot and More Portraits From Palm Springs Film Festival (Exclusive Photos)
The stars turned out in force for this year's Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
Producer J. Miles Dale, actors Richard Jenkins and Sally Hawkins, director Guillermo del Toro, actor Octavia Spencer and composer Alexandre Desplat, "The Shape of Water"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actors Armie Hammer and Timothée Chalamet, "Call Me by Your Name"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actor Timothée Chalamet, "Call Me by Your Name"
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Actress Salma Hayek, "Beatriz at Dinner"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress Gal Gadot, "Wonder Woman"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actor Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress Saoirse Ronan, "Lady Bird"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress Laurie Metcalf, "Lady Bird"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Co-writers Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, "The Big Sick"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress Holly Hunter, "The Big Sick"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress Allison Janney, "I, Tonya"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actor Sebastian Stan, "I, Tonya"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actor Sam Rockwell, "Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress and songwriter Mary J. Blige, "Mudbound," and songwriter Common, "Marshall"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress and songwriter Mary J. Blige, "Mudbound"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Songwriter Common, "Marshall"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress Jessica Chastain and writer-director Aaron Sorkin, "Molly's Game"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actress Jessica Chastain, "Molly's Game"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actor Willem Dafoe, "The Florida Project"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Director Sean Baker, "The Florida Project"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
Actor Peter Fonda, "The Ballad of Lefty Brown"
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Actor Gary Oldman, "Darkest Hour" and actress Sally Hawkins, "The Shape of Water"
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap
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OscarWrap Magazine: Sally Hawkins, Timothée Chalamet, Mary J. Blige, Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney and more also posed for TheWrap at the desert fest
The stars turned out in force for this year's Palm Springs International Film Festival.
Photographed by Corina Marie for TheWrap at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
