Amanda Seyfried Honored with Desert Palm Achievement Award at Palm Springs Film Festival
UPDATED with latest: Amanda Seyfried, recognized for her performances in The Testament of Ann Lee, Mank, and The Dropout, is set to receive the 2026 Desert Palm Achievement Award for Actress at the Palm Springs Film Festival.
“In The Testament of Ann Lee, Amanda Seyfried delivers a masterful performance—one that is haunting in its emotional intensity and profoundly human in its truth,” stated Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “Across her remarkable career, she has continued to evolve, take bold risks, and elevate every story she inhabits.”
The Palm Springs Film Festival will take place from January 2 to January 11, with film awards being presented on January 3 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. Additional honorees will be announced soon.
PREVIOUSLY, November 24: Actor Ethan Hawke, known for his role in Blue Moon, is also scheduled to receive the Career Achievement Award during the festival in January.
“Ethan Hawke has spent four decades building one of the most adventurous and prolific careers in film, consistently delivering performances defined by depth, intelligence, and fearless originality,” Chandi remarked. “In Blue Moon, he brings those same qualities to his show-stopping portrayal of Lorenz Hart, capturing the famed lyricist at a moment when his life is unraveling as his former partner Richard Rodgers debuts Oklahoma! Hawke’s work here stands among the most powerful performances of his career.”
PREVIOUSLY, November 11: Michael B. Jordan will be honored with the Palm Springs Film Festival’s 2026 Icon Award for his performance in Sinners, directed by Ryan Coogler.
“Michael B. Jordan once again proves why he’s been one of the most compelling performers for the past two decades,” Chandi noted. “In Sinners, his reunion with Ryan Coogler yields a bold and intricate performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack. Michael’s ability to inhabit two distinct souls with such power and nuance is nothing short of extraordinary.”
PREVIOUSLY, November 7: Adam Sandler will receive the 2026 Chairman’s Award for his impactful performance in Netflix’s Jay Kelly, co-starring George Clooney.
“Adam Sandler delivers a deeply moving and career-best performance in Jay Kelly,” Chandi said. “It underscores his standing as one of the most versatile and respected actors of his generation.”
PREVIOUSLY, November 5: The festival announced that the cast of Joachim Trier’s Cannes hit Sentimental Value will receive its International Star Award—the first time this award will be presented to an ensemble.
Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning will be honored on January 3 during the Film Awards at the Palm Springs Convention Center.
In Sentimental Value, which premiered at the Grand Théâtre Lumière in May, Reinsve portrays Nora, an actress who reunites with her estranged father, Gustav (Skarsgård), a once-famous director who intends to cast her in a role for his comeback film. This interaction unfolds against a backdrop of complex family dynamics.
“This extraordinary group embodies the very spirit of international cinema that our festival celebrates,” Chandi remarked. “Their deeply felt performances illuminate Joachim Trier’s moving story of family and reconciliation.”
The festival will reveal additional award recipients in the coming weeks.
