Will Smith and Cate Blanchett, the last two holders of the award, went on to win lead acting Oscars.
Bradley Cooper will be honored with the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Outstanding Performer of the Year Award for his depiction of composer Leonard Bernstein in the Netflix film Maestro, which he also co-wrote and directed. The festival made the announcement on Thursday.
On Thursday, February 8, 2024, Cooper, 48, will be honored at Santa Barbara’s historic Arlington Theatre. The event will begin with a conversation about his career, which will be followed by the presentation of the fest’s award. Previous recipients of this award include Cate Blanchett, Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis, Sacha Baron Cohen, Adam Driver, Rami Malek, Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan, Steve Carell, Jennifer Lawrence, Viola Davis, James Franco, Colin Firth, Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren, Heath Ledger,, and Kate Winslet and Charlize Theron.
“Bradley Cooper, the nine-time Oscar nominee, has shown himself to be an actor with amazing range and versatility,” an announcement from SBIFF executive director Roger Durling stated. The fact that he has developed into one of the most recognizable directorial voices is what has most struck me. He is a Renaissance guy and an incredible entertainer.
February 7–17, 2024, is when the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival takes place. Honorees already revealed include Mark Ruffalo of Poor Things and Robert Downey Jr. from Oppenheimer. The next several weeks will see the announcement of more awardees.
Summary
Bradley Cooper will be awarded the Outstanding Performer of the Year Award at the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival for his portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in Netflix’s Maestro. Cooper, who co-wrote and directed the film, will be honored on February 8, 2024, at Santa Barbara’s historic Arlington Theatre. Previous winners include Will Smith, Aunjanue Ellis, Sacha Baron Cohen, Adam Driver, Rami Malek, Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Brie Larson, Saoirse Ronan, Steve Carell, Jennifer Lawrence, Viola Davis, James Franco, Colin Firth, Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren, Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet, and Charlize Theron.