Angelina Jolie, the Oscar-winning megastar who is currently back in the awards conversation for her portrayal of opera singer Maria Callas in Pablo Larraín’s Maria (don’t miss THR‘s recent interview with Jolie and Larraín), has been tapped by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival to receive the fest’s highest honor: the Maltin Modern Master Award.
The honor, which is named after the revered film critic and historian Leonard Maltin and comes with a career-retrospective conversation moderated by him, will be presented to Jolie, 49, at Santa Barbara’s Arlington Theatre on Feb. 5, 2025.
Past recipients of the Modern Master Award, which was established in 1995 (and re-named after Maltin in 2015), include Robert Downey Jr., Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, Denzel Washington, Cate Blanchett, George Clooney, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood and Peter Jackson.
Jolie, who won the best supporting actress Oscar 25 years ago for Girl, Interrupted (1999), has also received widespread acclaim for her performances in A Mighty Heart (2007) and Changeling (2008); starred in hits such as Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005), Salt (2010) and Maleficent (2014); and directed the films In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011), Unbroken (2014), By the Sea (2015) and First They Killed My Father (2017).
“Angelina Jolie makes bold choices, both as an actress and as a director,” Maltin said in a statement. “She sets the bar high in both disciplines and always comes through. I look forward to reviewing her career with her in Santa Barbara!”
The 40th SBIFF will take place Feb. 4-15, 2025. Additional honorees will be announced in the coming weeks.
