Renée Zellweger to Be Honored at Palm Springs Film Festival Awards Gala

By LaTesha Harris

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The 31st annual Palm Springs International Film Festival will present Academy award-winner Renée Zellweger with the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress for her performance in the musical drama “Judy.” Zellweger is the first honoree to be announced.

“Renée Zellweger inhabits the essence of the iconic Judy Garland in ‘Judy.’ This is a layered performance that captures Judy’s trademark spirit, along with the heartbreak and insecurities she experiences in London while performing at a series of sold out shows,” festival chairman Harold Matzner said. “For this outstanding performance, a career best for Zellweger — and one in which she remarkably does her own singing — it is our honor to present the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress to Renée Zellweger.”

“Judy,” produced by Roadside Attractions and LD Entertainment, is a biographical film about iconic “The Wizard of Oz” star Judy Garland’s path to showbiz.

Zellweger is best known for her starring role in the “Bridget Jones’s Diary” franchise, in which she won her first Academy award nomination. She earned a second nomination for her role as Roxie in “Chicago.” Zellweger earned her first Academy award win with her role in “Cold Mountain.”

Zellweger recently made her television debut in Netflix’s “What/If.”

Past winners of the Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress include Academy Award winners Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”), Halle Berry (“John Wick: Chapter 3”), Julianne Moore (“Kingsman: The Golden Circle”), Cate Blanchett (“Ocean’s 8”), Sandra Bullock (“Bird Box”), Marion Cotillard (“Inception”), Natalie Portman (“Thor: Love and Thunder”) and Charlize Theron (“Bombshell”).

PSIFF is one of the largest film festivals in North America and is best known for its annual Film Awards Gala. Hosted by Mary Hart, the gala is scheduled for Jan. 2.