’Tis the season—the 2024-2025 awards season, that is. As is tradition, The Gotham Film & Media Institute ushered in the months-long red carpet bonanza that leads up to Oscars night with a star-studded celebration in Manhattan on Monday evening. The Gothams tipped the spotlight and handed the mic to breakthrough talent and Hollywood heavyweights alike, proving that independent storytelling is the important throughline that brings the entire industry together.
As black town cars snaked down Wall Street from 5.30 p.m., onlookers leaving the office craned their necks and did a double take inside the temporary tent popped up outside Cipriani. What could be bringing the likes of Zendaya, Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Pamela Anderson, Demi Moore, Colman Domingo, Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, and many, many more to the Financial District on a Monday?! As the leafy-walled step and repeat looked like the IMDB homepage had come to life, leading ladies and gents didn’t seem at all phased by the frigid December temperatures as they gave us a sizzle reel of awards season fashion to come.
Elegant as always, Angelina Jolie was among one of the first to take to the stage, in an understated black silk dress with a handkerchief hem. Jolie was presented with the Performer Tribute for her turn as influential opera singer Maria Callas, in recognition of the seven months she spent learning the soprano’s songs. “It’s wonderful to be here in New York, where Maria was born and lived most of her life, on what would have been her 101st birthday,” Jolie said poignantly.
As Jolie returned to her table, her seatmate Azazel Jacobs congratulated and applauded her. Moments later, it would be his turn, as the His Three Daughters screenwriter was announced as the winner of Best Screenplay for his touching film in which Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen play estranged sisters caring for their sick father.
Josh O’Connor was on duty to present his Challengers castmate Zendaya with the Spotlight Tribute for her compelling role as Tashi Donaldson in the tennis flick. The actress notably knocked it out of the park time and time again during the press run for the film, and evidently is gearing up to continue the streak, opting for a slinky backless Louis Vuitton halter gown. “I’m going to get you back,” she jokingly told O’Connor after his sweet, sincere, and sentimental speech. “We hate giving each other compliments.”
