Penélope Cruz, Sean Penn, Emma Stone and More Stars Step Out for Variety Awards Brunch — See the Photos!

Penélope Cruz, Sean Penn and Emma Stone were among the stars in attendance DiversityCreative Impact Awards and 10 directors for a snack.

The event was held Friday during the 35th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival in celebration of the most influential actors and directors who worked in Hollywood last year.

Honoree Cruz, 49, received the award from Penn, 63, who described Ferrari star as an “acting animal” with great “intuitiveness and imagination” when speaking.

“I have seen Penélope in English, Spanish and Italian language films. I speak reasonable English, minimal Spanish, no Italian at all. And yet… I don’t remember ever looking at the subtitles,” Penn said.

“I also remember understanding every word she’s ever said on screen… it kind of reminds me of the thing about Penélope, because when she wants us to understand, we do, [and when] she wants us to feel, we feel because she allows us to,” he continued.

Sean Penn.

Amy Sussman/Variety via Getty

Penélope Cruz braves the Parisian rain in all-white and high heels for the Chanel show: Look at her glam look!

In her speech, Cruz talked about her early passion for acting and how she first found it through ballet as a child.

“I feel very lucky to make a living from acting,” she said. “… I begged my teachers to let me play Carmen at the age of four, they called my parents. Then it was through acting. I feel so happy. Being able to remain a student for the rest of our lives because we are.”

Cruz then thanked Michael Mann for choosing her to “play such a complex character” as Laura Ferrari in the director’s latest film.

“[She] represents so many women out there, not just in the Ferrari era, but in so many places around the world then and now with women living in the shadow of men, constantly being ignored and suppressed,” the actress said.

Penelope Cruz.

Amy Sussman/Variety via Getty

Stone, 35, meanwhile, was honored Poor people director Yorgos Lanthimos at the event.

The star, who plays Bella Baxter in the 2023 film, spoke of the honor of working with Lanthimos, 50, in the speech, praising the Greek director for telling stories that are “beautiful and grotesque and about how wonderfully painful it is to be human.”

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Emma Stone.

Amy Sussman/Variety via Getty

Other guests who attended the awards ceremony were Mark Ruffalo (Poor people), Lily Gladstone (Killers of the Flower Moon), Willem Dafoe (Poor people), Jeffrey Wright (American fiction) and Danielle Brooks (Purple).

They were joined by fellow honorary director Anna Kendrick (Woman of the hour), Cord Jefferson (American fiction), Blitz Bazawule (Purple), Kobi Libii (American Society of Magical Negroes“), Ilker Çatak (Living room for teachers), Titus Kaphar (An exposition of forgiveness) and Aaron Schimberg (A different man).

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Source: HIS Education