Stars Align at Annual Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Gala

There were enough stars last night at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures to rival the ones in the museum’s current exhibits. Now in its third year, the annual gala delivered bona fide movie stars like Leonardo DiCaprio, Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, and Robert Downey Jr.; auteurs like J.J. Abrams and Greta Gerwig; and recent Oscar winners like Ke Huy Quan, as well as 2023 honorary Oscar winner Angela Bassett. The evening was cochaired by Academy Award–nominated director Ava DuVernay; Academy Museum trustee, physician, producer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Dr. Eric Esrailian; Academy Award–winning actor and Academy Museum supporter Halle Berry; and Academy Museum trustee and screenwriter, director, and producer Ryan Murphy. The gala was the first major event in Hollywood since the strikes concluded, reuniting actors, writers, directors, studio heads, and more, all while raising over $10 million.

With the help of gala creative director Lisa Love and artistic director Raúl Àvila, director and president of the Academy Museum Jacqueline Stewart transformed the Renzo Piano–designed museum into Chasen’s, the famed Hollywood hot spot from the golden age, as guests cozied up in leather booths and took in the panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills from the museum’s rooftop dome for a night of incredible honorees.

The celebratory evening, commemorating the acclaimed museum’s anniversary, was a star-studded affair that honored four Hollywood icons for their contributions to film both past and present. Gerwig presented three-time Academy Award winner and 21-time Academy Award–nominated actor Streep with the Academy Museum Gala Icon Award, celebrating her significant global cultural impact. The Visionary Award was presented to Academy Award–winning and three-time Academy Award–nominated filmmaker and actor Sofia Coppola by Academy Award–winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao. This year’s Vantage Award was presented by Christopher Nolan to award-winning actor, producer, and director Michael B. Jordan, whose sister, Jamila Jordan, accepted on his behalf. Jordan received the award for his work as an emerging artist who is helping to contextualize and challenge dominant narratives around cinema. Global media leader Winfrey received the Pillar Award from DuVernay, acknowledging her exemplary leadership and support for the Academy Museum.

As the night concluded, Billie Eilish brought down the house with a set that included her Barbie hit, “What Was I Made For?” And as guests filed out, even Streep and DiCaprio waited for their cars at the valet—just like everyone else.