Viola Davis will be in motion in Cannes on May 22, making her way to the stage to pick up Kering’s Women in Motion Award.
In announcing Davis as this year’s recipient, Kering and Cannes praised her “activism and achievements” while noting that she has been a passionate advocate for the rights of women and minorities and has “regularly called for greater inclusion in the film industry and campaigned for gender equality.”
The black-tie event — a partnership between Kering and the Cannes Film Festival — has been singling out top female stars since it launched in 2015. Previous winners include Jane Fonda, Geena Davis, Susan Sarandon, Isabelle Huppert, Patty Jenkins, Gong Li and Salma Hayek. Kering chairman and CEO François-Henri Pinault, Cannes Film Festival president Pierre Lescure and fest executive director Thierry Frémaux are confirmed to present the award during the starry dinner.
The honor comes after Davis has already picked up just about every trophy Hollywood has to offer, including a Golden Globe, a BAFTA, four SAG Awards, two Tony Awards, an Oscar and an Emmy. Davis also runs the film and television production company, JuVee Prods., alongside her husband Julius Tennon.
Davis currently stars as Michelle Obama in Showtime’s The First Lady and she recently released the memoir Finding Me, a New York Times best-seller.
