By Jonathan Landrum Jr., Entertainment Writer
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) --In a ballroom filled with stars like Viola Davis, Ben Stiller and Sigourney Weaver, the American Film Institute Awards on Friday paid tribute to Lisa Marie Presley.
AFI president Bob Gazzale began the ceremony with a moment of silence for Presley, who died a day earlier after a medical emergency. The invite-only luncheon honored the Elvis Presley biopic "Elvis" among its 10 film honorees. Lisa Marie Presley, her father's only child, has been supporting the film throughout its awards season run, attending Tuesday's Golden Globe Awards where star Austin Butler took home a trophy for his portrayal of her father.
Some in the ballroom sat in silence while others bowed their heads in Beverly Hills, California.
The event, which also honors 10 television shows, normally has a light, fun tone. Gazzale acknowledged a table of "Elvis" film representatives, including director Baz Luhrmann.
"As this event is founded in community and not competition — never competition — I asked that we offer a quiet moment of reflection to consider loss," Gazzale said. "Not for others, but for all of us. All who create from inspiration. In this silence, they will feel like we are here for them. And you will feel we are here for you."
Attendees included Steven Spielberg, Patricia Arquette, Daniel Kaluuya, Seth Rogen and Miles Teller.
Films recognized included "Avatar: The Way of Water," "Elvis," "Everything Everywhere All at Once," "The Fabelmans," "Nope," "She Said," "Tar," "Top Gun: Maverick," "The Woman King" and "Women Talking."
Television shows honored were "Abbott Elementary," "The Bear," "Better Call Saul," "Hacks," "Mo," "Pachinko," "Reservation Dogs," "Severance," "Somebody Somewhere" and "The White Lotus."
"The Banshees of Inisherin" was separately given a special award during the event — where each film and TV show was honored with well-spoken words about the celebrated project followed by a brief clip of a scene.
Laughs and hugs were shared before the event between "Severance" stars Adam Scott and Arquette, who later took photos with other cast members including the show's director Ben Stiller. "Nope" director Jordan Peele had a chat with Ted Sarandos, co-CEO of Netflix. Weaver posed for photos with her "Avatar" co-star Stephen Lang, the film's director James Cameron and Disney CEO Bob Iger.
A pregnant Keke Palmer was all smiles when she saw Kaluuya, her "Nope" co-star, before the two hugged and talked for a few minutes.
Al Pacino received a standing ovation after he closed the luncheon with a 10-minute benediction to celebrate the honoree's achievements.
Harvey Weinstein hit with new sex crime charge in New York
Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a new sex crime charge in New York, as he awaits retrial in his landmark #MeToo case.
Details of the new allegations were not immediately available. He was charged with committing a criminal sex act.
The jailed ex-movie mogul has long maintained that any sexual activity was consensual.
Prosecutors revealed last week that Weinstein had been indicted on additional sex crime charges that weren't part of the case that led to his now-overturned 2020 conviction. But the new indictment was sealed until his arraignment.
Prosecutors have said that the grand jury heard evidence of up to three alleged assaults — two in hotels in the Tribeca neighborhood and one at a lower Manhattan residential building. The purported incidents took place from the mid-2000s to 2016, prosecutors said.
But it's not clear whether any of those allegations underlie the new indictment.
While bracing for the new charges, Weinstein also is awaiting retrial after New York state's highest court this spring overturned his 2020 conviction on rape and sexual assault charges involving two women. The high court, called the Court of Appeals, ordered a new trial, which is tentatively scheduled to begin Nov. 12.
The Court of Appeals ruled that the then-trial judge unfairly allowed testimony against him based on allegations that were not part of the case. That judge's term expired in 2022, and he is no longer on the bench.
Prosecutors have said they'll seek to fold the new charges into the retrial, but Weinstein's lawyers say it should be a separate case.
Weinstein, who also was convicted in 2022 in a Los Angeles rape case, remains behind bars while awaiting his New York retrial.
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