Kidman honored at American Film Institute gala
Oscar-winning actress
Nicole Kidman’s family attended Saturday’s starstudded American Film Institute gala honoring her career in Los Angeles.
To air on TNT on June 17, the ceremony at the Dolby Theatre included in-person and virtual speeches from Zoe Saldaña, Aaron Sorkin, Keith Urban, Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Jackman, Jane Campion, Jimmy Fallon, Cate Blanchett, George Miller, Baz Luhrmann and Russell Crowe.
Other attendees included Lee Daniels, Ava DuVernay, Zac Efron, Cynthia Erivo, Morgan Freeman, Barry Jenkins, David E. Kelley, Joey King, Mimi Leder, Mike Myers, Edward James Olmos, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jane Seymour, Meryl Streep, Brian Tee, Miles Teller, Lulu Wang and
Naomi Watts, as well as Kidman’s husband, country music star Keith Urban and their daughters Sunday, 15, and Faith, 13.
Previous AFI honoree Streep presented Kidman – her co-star in “The Hours” and “Big Little Lies” – with the award.
“It is a privilege to make films. And glorious to have made films and television with these storytellers who allowed me to run wild and be free and play all of these unconventional women,” Kidman said.
“Thank you for making me better at my craft and giving me a place, however temporary, in this world.”
Kong: The New Empire,” in its fifth weekend, brought in $7.2 million.
“This is a strong opening for a romance and sports drama,” wrote David Gross in movie industry newsletter FranchiseRe about “Challengers.” “Dramas are not big movies, but they can be elevated by an A-list cast, and Zendaya is doing that.”
Still, the overall market for movies in theaters remains weak. Gross said that April 2024 is down around 48% compared to pre-pandemic Aprils.
“There continues to be room for smart, targeted productions that connect with their audiences, but the total lineup remains thin,” Gross wrote. “So far in 2024, we’ve had 13 big series films. Before the pandemic, we averaged more than 18 during the same period.”
Bigger titles are on their way to theaters soon. Action comedy film “The Fall Guy,” starring Ryan Gosling and Emily
Blunt, will be released Friday.