Laughs and hugs were shared between Hollywood's best — including Margot Robbie, Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio — during a celebratory ceremony where everyone ended up walking away a winner at the American Film Institute Awards on Friday.
The annual invite-only luncheon honored 10 films and 10 television shows with well-spoken words about each celebrated project followed by a brief clip of a scene.
"Welcome to the annual AFI group hug," institute President Bob Gazzale said as many in the audience chuckled. "For those who are new to this humble affair, the answer is 'No. … No.' You are not going to lose. Losing doesn't happen here."
Most appeared in a jovial mood with smiles and lengthy conversations in the ballroom in Beverly Hills.
Robbie chatted for a while with "Oppenheimer" director Christopher Nolan, who eventually pivoted to shake hands with Robbie's "Barbie" castmate America Ferrera. "Maestro" stars Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan enjoyed their time together on the red carpet while
"Beef" star Ali Wong caught up with Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix.
"American Fiction" stars Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown huddled up with "Jury Duty" star James Marsden and former BET CEO Debra L. Lee. Director Steven Spielberg took photos with "Barbie" director Greta Gerwig.
The AFI event is all about having fun, creating a laid-back vibe with no pressure.
"When we began this event, now over 20 years ago, the idea was simple: We tell you you're great and why," Gazzale said. "We share a moment of your film or television program. … This community is not competition. It's never a competition. I know that doesn't sound ideal.
But that's who we are."
Films honored include "American Fiction," "Barbie," "The Holdovers," "Killers of the Flower Moon," "Maestro," "May December," "Oppenheimer," "Past Lives," "Poor Things" and "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse."
Television shows recognized were "Abbott Elementary," "The Bear," "Beef," "Jury Duty," "The Last of Us," "The Morning Show," "Only Murders in the Building," "Poker Face," "Reservation Dogs" and "Succession."
Others in the star-studded room included Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Jennifer Aniston, Robert Downey Jr., Emma Stone, Selena Gomez, Quinta Brunson, Lily Gladstone, Ayo Edebiri and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Ellen Burstyn closed the luncheon with a benediction to celebrate the honorees, whom she praised.
""I feel blessed to be part of this amazing tribe," the 91-year-old Oscar, Emmy and Tony award winner said. "Thank you all for celebrating the best without making it a competition, just a shared appreciation. We appreciate you all."
Here's a more detailied rundown of the AFI's Top Ten In Film and Television:
AFI MOTION PICTURES OF THE YEAR
AMERICAN FICTION announces the arrival of a powerful voice in American film – Cord Jefferson – who pens a new chapter in our understanding of how stories are told – and by whom. Jeffrey Wright delivers a triumphant performance with a lightning bolt of righteous rage and a thunderclap of humor – exploring the complexities of identity, hypocrisy and heartbreak. The film is further elevated by a peerless ensemble that demands we embrace a world beyond stereotype.
BARBIE smashes the glass ceiling of cinema with the imaginative power of a child at play. Greta Gerwig and her talented creative ensemble bring a plastic icon to life in this tour de force – and tour de fun. Standing tall is Margot Robbie, who embodies an American “ideal” while releasing it from the shadows of heels and history – and, ultimately, asking us all to consider what we were made for. And then there’s Ken. Nice work, Ryan.
THE HOLDOVERS flips back the pages of a calendar to present a timeless portrait of humanity. Driven by the deepest of emotions and iced with a wicked wit, Alexander Payne achieves the extraordinary – creating a world we have all lived in – with feelings we have all experienced. Paul Giamatti’s hilariously humbug performance further etches his place in the pantheon and stellar turns from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and newcomer Dominic Sessa become family to our own in this seasonal treat as cozy as it is curmudgeonly.
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON finds unexplored territory for a modern master – and it’s a narrative Martin Scorsese claims with the Osage Nation. As this poisonous picture of America’s past unfolds, audiences will be left in awe at the evolution of the art form as they experience the performances of Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio – and the illumination of Lily Gladstone, who breathes new spirits to life.
MAESTRO commands the rapturous applause of a global audience – and then pauses in profound silence to consider the role of “performance” in both art and life. It is time for Bradley Cooper to take his well-earned bow – both for his insightful, incisive direction and for his transformative performance as Leonard Bernstein. And a billion bravas to Carey Mulligan, who raises the film to high art by embodying the complexities of marriage – and love – and life.
MAY DECEMBER proves the power of Todd Haynes as an American provocateur – with Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore facing off in a mesmerizing mirror dance that reflects Hollywood’s thirst to embody the complex humanity behind the most tawdry of tabloid tales. Charles Melton is exquisitely understated as the victim to both, who quietly brings them together as one, in a world masked by perfection and marked by “what grown-ups do.”
OPPENHEIMER detonates a moral quandary – rare in the days when superheroes have all the answers. Christopher Nolan’s blinding look at this flashpoint in American history aches with the consequences of achievement and explodes beyond the screen to register a new standard in film biographies. At its core stands Cillian Murphy, who embodies an enigma with rich complexity – while orbited by powerhouse performances from a peerless all-star cast.
PAST LIVES celebrates cosmic connections – both found and lost. Bruising and brilliant, this masterful debut by director Celine Song explores the Korean concept of In-Yun – are two meant to be one? It’s a story that will not leave you – in this life or into the next.
POOR THINGS expands the mind with the richest of imaginations – all the while pushing the boundaries of emotion with phantasmagoric flair. Emma Stone redefines the modern movie star in a fearless performance that demands audiences heed the power of women in a world of man-made monsters. And because Yorgos Lanthimos is at the helm – the horror is hilarious.
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE adds infinite dimension to the superhero genre with soaring ambition and artistry. Directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson deliver a humanist spin on heroism – combining unprecedented visual invention with rich emotional nuance to elevate the art form through animation.
AFI TELEVISION PROGRAMS OF THE YEAR
ABBOTT ELEMENTARY teaches us how it’s done. Quinta Brunson revitalizes the beloved sitcom format with undeniable optimism as it tackles the topics of our day. At the series’ heart is an ensemble of teachers – both heroic and hilarious – who, like their real-life counterparts in public education, struggle selflessly against a system stacked against them to find promise for our future.
THE BEAR turns up the heat in its second year. The dysfunction of family continues to flavor Christopher Storer’s spectacular series, and this season ventures beyond the tension of its high-pressure kitchen for a scalding examination of the ties that bind. Jeremy Allen White leads a brilliant ensemble that expanded this year to include some of the very best guest appearances on television.
BEEF sizzles with vindictive indignation – a razor-sharp satire first catalyzed by rage, which then widens its focus to reveal a frenzied world where all battle to embrace intellect over emotion – and often fail. The endlessly entertaining motivations for retaliation are powder kegs lit by creator Lee Sung Jin – and the chemistry of Ali Wong and Steven Yeun, whether in conflict or in concert, is explosive.
JURY DUTY makes the case for bold experimentation in episodic television. Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky’s high-concept comedy offers a fresh approach to the mock-doc genre, achieving its unique charm through inventive writing and a cast of lovable eccentrics. Headlined by James Marsden in a comic bow to narcissism, the show’s heart is the oblivious everyman Ronald Gladden – whose do-good good-nature makes the premise soar.
THE LAST OF US is first-rate television. With a narrative born from an infectious video game, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann expertly expand the boundaries of each character, organically triggering deeply human fears that still run rampant in our post-pandemic world. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey’s found family provide the beating heart to this post-apocalyptic adventure that finds hope – and connection – as our only means of survival.
THE MORNING SHOW rises like the sun in the world of top-tier television. Jay Carson’s sophisticated series was born in the world of #MeToo and continues to grow and flourish with a finger on the pulse of today’s world news. Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon anchor a stellar ensemble fighting for relevance – and to maintain integrity – in a for-profit world.
ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING elevates the hilarity of whodunits to new heights. Steve Martin and John Hoffman’s third season builds on the undeniable charm of its central trio – Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez – with the toe-tapping addition of original musical numbers and an A-list ensemble including the incomparable Meryl Streep.
POKER FACE plays an unbeatable hand – with Natasha Lyonne as its ace-in-the-hole. In this irresistible homage to classic mystery television, Rian Johnson’s killer series features a murderers’ row of guest stars, but it’s Lyonne’s ragged, raspy and frequently funky human lie-detector that gives the show its edge, humor and – “uh, just one more thing…” – its heart.
RESERVATION DOGS rides off into the sunset having left an indelible mark on today’s television. Soaring above stereotypes, Sterlin Harjo and Taika Waititi infuse this distinctive dramedy with a wry tone that illuminates the struggles of modern Indigenous peoples – and their undying spirit to restore community and journey beyond the boundaries of a painful American past.
SUCCESSION ends its reign at Shakespearean heights – and enters American history as a king in the television kingdom. Bold and blistering up to its scorched-earth finale, Jesse Armstrong’s dynastic conflict continued to battle large, even in the physical absence of its omnipresent patriarch. With acting, writing and direction at their finest, the knife-twist ending leaves no real winners – except for the audience.
