Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis, who portray the parents of Venus Williams and Serena Williams in Reinaldo Marcus Green‘s King Richard, will share the outstanding performer of the year award at the 37th Santa Barbara International Film Festival in March 2022, the festival announced Thursday.
The duo will be on hand for a career retrospective tribute at Santa Barbara’s historic Arlington Theatre. The date is still to be determined.
“We’re so excited to be able to salute the incomparable Will Smith and the revelatory Aunjanue Ellis with this award,” SBIFF executive director Roger Durling said in a statement. “The ‘doubles match’ of their intricate relationship onscreen as Richard and Oracene in King Richard is electrifying and a joy to behold.”
Past recipients of this award have included Sacha Baron Cohen, Adam Driver, Rami Malek, Margot Robbie and Allison Janney, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, Brie Larson and Saoirse Ronan, Steve Carell, Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Viola Davis, James Franco, Colin Firth, Penelope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren, Heath Ledger, Kate Winslet and Charlize Theron.
The 37th SBIFF will run from March 2-12, 2022.
