AARP The Magazine unveiled the winners of its annual Movies for Grownups®Awards with a 20th anniversary special, featuring honorees from Being the Ricardos, Belfast, CODA, Dopesick, Hacks, House of Gucci, King Richard and more. Winners were announced during tonight’s virtual event broadcast by Great Performances on PBS, hosted by Alan Cumming as part of #PBSForTheArts.
For two decades, AARP’s Movies for Grownups program has championed movies for grownups, by grownups, by advocating for the 50-plus audience, fighting industry ageism and encouraging films that resonate with mature viewers. Award-winning stage and film actor Alan Cumming kicked off the show with a musical opening parody of “Cabaret.” The star-studded ceremony also included a touching tribute from Academy Award winner Goldie Hawn to Movies for Grownups Career Achievement Award honoree Lily Tomlin, who spoke hilariously about being a proud grownup.
Tomlin joins an illustrious list of previous AARP Movies for Grownups Career Achievement honorees, including George Clooney, Annette Bening, Kevin Costner, Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Shirley MacLaine, Helen Mirren, Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon and Sharon Stone.
Other highlights of the evening included a special appearance by actress Saniyya Sidney, who presented the Best Actor award to “on-screen dad” Will Smith for his role in King Richard. Film director Aaron Sorkin presented the Best Actress award to Nicole Kidman for portraying both Lucille Ball and Lucille-Ball-as-Lucy-Ricardo in Being the Ricardos. Michael Keaton took home Best Actor (TV) honors, sharing the deeply personal importance of his role in Dopesick. Director Kenneth Branagh received Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups for Belfast, explaining that it’s a memoir of a sort, about growing up during the conflict in Northern Ireland.
AARP’s Movies for Grownups® Awards continued its tradition of awarding high-quality performances in TV/streaming categories. Winners included Mare of Easttown for Best Limited Series/TV Movie and Ted Lasso for Best TV Series.
“We are thrilled to share this year’s Movies for Grownups Awards honorees during our 20th anniversary special,” said Tim Appelo, AARP film and TV critic. “Even in a pandemic, creators continue to raise the bar, captivating audiences and giving us all a bit of solace during trying times. Twenty years is quite a milestone to celebrate, and we wish all our nominees and honorees a heartfelt congratulations.”
The complete list of the Annual Movies for Grownups Awards winners:
- Career Achievement: Lily Tomlin
- Best Picture/Best Movie for Grownups: Belfast
- Best Actress: Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos)
- Best Actor: Will Smith (King Richard)
- Best Supporting Actress: Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard)
- Best Supporting Actor: Jared Leto (House of Gucci)
- Best Director: Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog)
- Best Screenwriter: Tony Kushner (West Side Story)
- Best Ensemble: Nightmare Alley
- Best Intergenerational Movie: CODA
- Best Buddy Picture: Finch
- Best Time Capsule: Spencer
- Best Grownup Love Story: Cyrano
- Best Documentary: Summer of Soul (… Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
- Best Foreign Film/Best International Film: Sheep Without a Shepherd (China)
- Best Actress (TV/Streaming): Jean Smart (Hacks)
- Best Actor (TV/Streaming): Michael Keaton (Dopesick)
- Best TV Series: Ted Lasso
- Best TV Movie/Limited Series: Mare of Easttown
Major funding for Great Performances: Movies for Grownups With AARP the Magazine was provided by Barclays and R.R. Donnelley. Event proceeds benefit AARP Foundation, which works to end senior poverty by helping older adults living with low income build economic opportunity by securing the essentials: good jobs, healthy food, eligible benefits, key refunds and sustaining social connections.
Series funding for Great Performances was provided by The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, the LuEsther T. Mertz Charitable Trust, Sue and Edgar Wachenheim III, Jody and John Arnhold, the Abra Prentice Foundation LLC, the Starr Foundation, the Philip and Janice Levin Foundation, the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation, the Thea Petschek Iervolino Foundation, the Seton J. Melvin, the Estate of Worthington Mayo-Smith, the Jack Lawrence Charitable Trust, and Ellen and James S. Marcus.
To learn more, visit www.aarp.org/moviesforgrownups.
About AARP
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also produces the nation’s largest circulation publications: AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org, www.aarp.org/espanol, or follow @AARP, @AARPenEspanol and @AARPadvocates, @AliadosAdelante on social media.
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