Zoe Saldaña to Be Honored With the American Riviera Award at Santa Barbara International Film Festival

Zoe Saldaña is to be honored at the 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival with the American Riviera Award. The ceremony will include a conversation with Saldaña about her career and her recent role as Rita Moro in the Netflix musical comedy “Emilia Pérez.” The event will take place on Feb. 7.

“Zoe Saldaña has a fantastic filmography worth celebrating any year, but her commanding and stouthearted performance in ‘Emilia Perez’ makes our tribute to her imperative,” said SBIFF’s Executive Director Roger Durling.

“Emilia Pérez,” directed by Jacques Audiard premiered at the Cannes Film Festival this year, earning it the Jury Prize. Saldaña also took home the Best Actress Award alongside the female ensemble. The spirited musical follows Emilia, played by Karla Sofía Gascón, who is a cartel leader who hires Rita (Saldaña) a fed-up lawyer, to help her fake her death and find a new life. The movie also stars Selena Gomez, Adriana Paz and Édgar Ramírez.

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The American Riviera Award honors actors who have made a “significant contribution to American Cinema,” according to the festival. Past recipients include Mark Ruffalo, Brendan Fraser, Kristen Stewart, Delroy Lindo and Renée Zellweger. 

Saldaña, an actor and producer, has starred in four films that have earned over $2 billion, three of those being the highest grossing films of all time with “Avatar,” “Avatar: The Way of Water” and “Avengers: End Game.” She also stars in the Paramount+ spy thriller series “Lioness” created by Taylor Sheridan. 

The festival will take place Feb. 4 to Feb. 15 throughout the city including at the historic Arlington Theatre. Tickets are now on sale at sbiff.org.