Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis drove to the Palm Springs Film Festival Gala together, and while Curtis presented Blanchett with the Desert Palm Achievement Award for her performance in “Tár,” the two delighted the audience with banter about who’s the better driver. But Blanchett brought the energy up to a fever pitch when she revealed that prior to their drive, Curtis had repacked her bag and came “out in her bra and knickers.”
“We had this lengthy conversation,” Blanchett recalled at the top of her speech. “A discussion about whether I should get into pajamas before driving back tonight. Meanwhile, she’s telling me this about what I should wear, and she comes out in her bra and knickers. This is why we nearly missed the tonight’s event.”
The two worked together on Eli Roth’s upcoming feature “Borderlands,” which Blanchett filmed prior to beginning Todd Field’s psychological drama. Meanwhile, Blanchett was pulling double duty, presenting the Chairman’s Award Actress to “The Woman King” star and producer Viola Davis.
Curtis recalled Blanchett asking if she would present her with the award in her dressing room at the shoot for Variety‘s Actors on Actors. Curtis was paired with “The Banshees of Inisherin” actor Colin Farrell, who was presented the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor at the gala by his “Seven Psychopaths” co-star Sam Rockwell. Blanchett was paired with Curtis’ “Everything Everywhere All at Once” co-star Michelle Yeoh, who received the International Star Actress Award.
Other highlights of the ceremony included “Elvis” director Baz Luhrmann presenting the breakthrough performance award to his leading man Austin Butler. Luhrmann recalled the film being shut down at the beginning of the pandemic after Tom Hanks contracted COVID, and even becoming “estranged” from Priscilla Presley, Elvis’ former wife, due to apprehension about Butler playing the part.
In addition, two-time Oscar winner Sally Field presented the prestigious Vanguard Award to “The Fabelmans,” which was shared by the film’s director and producer Steven Spielberg, producer Kristie Macosko Krieger and cast members Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Gabriel LaBelle, Seth Rogen and Judd Hirsch.
Davis gave the penultimate speech of the night, which was full of hope for a brighter future for Black actors in Hollywood. “I don’t want people to thrive in spite of the business,” Davis said. “I want them to thrive because of the business.”
Other honorees included Brendan Fraser (“The Whale”), Danielle Deadwyler (“Till”), Bill Nighy (“Living”) and writer-director Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”).
The Palm Springs International Film Festival takes place Jan. 5-16.