Bill Murray, the legendary comedy actor, will be the recipient of the Maltin Modern Master Award at the 36th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival, The Hollywood Reporter has learned.
The presentation, which recognizes a body of work in film — including, in 70-year-old Murray’s case, his performance in Sofia Coppola‘s 2020 comedy On the Rocks, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination last week — will be made on Friday, April 2, and, like the rest of the fest, which will run from March 31-April 10, it will take place virtually.
“Bill Murray is one of a kind,” the award’s namesake, film critic and historian Leonard Maltin, said in a statement. Added Maltin, who will be moderating the presentation for the 30th time, “He developed a comic persona early on that’s still as potent as ever, while expanding his reach and range as an actor. The boyish goofball in Caddyshack has become a playboy dad in On the Rocks, with many dazzling and daring stops along the way. I have been an unabashed fan, from Ghostbusters to Lost in Translation, so it is a privilege and honor to present Bill Murray with this year’s Maltin Modern Master Award.”
Previous recipients include Brad Pitt, Glenn Close, Gary Oldman, Denzel Washington, Johnny Depp, Michael Keaton, Bruce Dern, Ben Affleck, Christopher Nolan, Michael Douglas, Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Diane Keaton, Sean Penn, Jeff Bridges, Peter Jackson, George Clooney, Will Smith, Cate Blanchett, Clint Eastwood, Christopher Plummer and James Cameron.
