The 49th annual Chaplin Gala presenters have been officially unveiled to honor award recipient Jeff Bridges.
Bridges’ former co-stars Sharon Stone, Chris Pine, Cynthia Erivo, and Rosie Perez will all toast the Academy Award winner’s contributions to film as Bridges receives the coveted Chaplin Award on April 29.
Erivo starred with Bridges in “Bad Times at the El Royale” (2018), while Perez appeared with Bridges in “Fearless” (1993). Pine was side-by-side with Bridges in Oscar-nominated Western “Hell or High Water” (2016), and Sharon Stone acted opposite Bridges in both “Simpatico” (1999) and “The Muse” (1999).
The Chaplin Award Tribute will feature excerpts from a selection of Bridges’ work, appearances by co-stars, friends, and colleagues, and the presentation of the award itself. An acclaimed actor, producer, and musician, Bridges’ film career has spanned seven decades and features a slew of iconic roles in “True Grit,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Hell or High Water,” “Heaven’s Gate,” and “Crazy Heart,” for which Bridges won an Oscar, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award.
Bridges’ film career began as a baby in “The Company She Keeps” and continued alongside brother Beau Bridges in father Lloyd Bridges’ TV series “Sea Hunt” and “The Lloyd Bridges Show.” Bridges’ latest TV role is in FX/Hulu thriller series “The Old Man.”
The Chaplin Award Gala is the major annual fundraiser for Film at Lincoln Center, with proceeds supporting the nonprofit organization’s year-round programs, including film series, student programs, and film festivals such as the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films.
The Chaplin Award has been bestowed upon legendary actors and filmmakers such as Alfred Hitchcock, Sidney Poitier, Barbara Streisand, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, and Spike Lee. Last year, Viola Davis was feted at the awards ceremony, with Cate Blanchett being toasted the year prior in 2022.
“Jeff Bridges is one of our most distinguished and beloved actors whose body of work, commitment to his art, and lifetime of career achievements demonstrate a significant contribution to the art of film,” Dan Stern, chairman of the board of Film at Lincoln Center, said. “We at Film at Lincoln Center are honored to present the 49th Chaplin Award to Jeff Bridges, and look forward to celebrating with Jeff, his family, his colleagues, and the Film at Lincoln community and supporters.”
Lesli Klainberg, president of Film at Lincoln Center, added, “One of America’s greatest actors, Jeff Bridges is an artist and creative soul who naturally brings compassion and depth to every role he inhabits. His humanity and intelligence inform iconic characters such as Rooster Cogburn in ‘True Grit,’ Duane Jackson in ‘The Last Picture Show,’ and of course the iconic Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski in ‘The Big Lebowski.’ The Chaplin Award is meant to recognize the work of artists who believe in cinema and Film at Lincoln Center is delighted that Jeff Bridges will receive the 49th Chaplin Award.”
Film at Lincoln Center gives special thanks to the 49th Chaplin Award Gala Co-Chairs: Susan and John Hess; Imelda and Peter Sobiloff; and Nanna and Daniel Stern. Gala tickets for the 49th Chaplin Award Gala are on sale now.
