“The fact that you drove to this hellish place, Santa Barbara, means the world to me.” Will Ferrell He joked Wednesday night that he was grateful to his family, friends and co-stars — including Kristen Wiig and Octavia Spencer ——Come to the picturesque “American Riviera” two hours’ drive north of Los Angeles to attend the films introduced to him by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival Kirk Douglas Outstanding Film Award.
Presented annually since 2006 by SBIFF at a black-tie dinner at the local Ritz-Carlton Bacara, the honor is named after the late star of Hollywood’s Golden Age, who played there Live part-time in the town. The gala is held several months before the actual festival (the next one will be held February 4-15) and raises funds for the festival’s many educational activities. Celebrated before Ryan Gosling, Michelle Yeoh, Martin Scorsese, Hugh Jackman, Judi Dench, Warren Beatty, Jane Fonda, Jessica Lange, Forest Whitaker, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, quentin tarantino, Ed Harris, john travolta and the son of the same name, Michael Douglas.
Last September, when announcing Ferrell’s selection, Michael Douglas said: “Congratulations! Dad loves you.
No actor of the 21st century has starred in more hit comedy films than Ferrell. Among them: 2003 old school and Elf2004 Host: The Legend of Ron Burgundy2006 Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby2008 half brother2010 others2014 work hard and The Lego Movie The list goes on and on. He also co-created and co-produced many of these works.
On Wednesday, SBIFF Executive Director Roger Dulin Ferrell, known as the “King of American Comedy”. Oscar winner Spencer Ferrell stars in 2022 film Full of energydescribing him as “synonymous with comedy” and working with him as “a true highlight of my career.” And there’s Wiig, with whom Ferrell collaborated on what she deadpanly describes as a “severely overlooked Lifetime movie.” fatal adoption” In 2015, he said it “fundamentally shaped the comedy landscape of our generation.
Wiig also praised Ferrell’s latest project, the Netflix documentary will and harperdirected by Josh Greenbaum Produced by Ferrell, it documents a cross-country road trip Ferrell takes with an old friend, the former saturday night live writer Harper SteeleHe recently came out as trans: “This film is profound, it will change minds and it will undoubtedly save lives.”
Ferrer walked on stage to a standing ovation and borrowed a page after receiving the festival plaque from Wiig Sally FieldBook asks, “You really like me?!” before sharing his long history with Santa Barbara—he came to the festival in 1997 with a direct-to-DVD film (“It’s good to be back!” ), and he had his wedding held at a local courthouse 24 years ago.
Ferrell also recalled that when he was an undergraduate at USC, Kirk Douglas was giving a speech on campus and Ferrell and some friends saw him bump into him as he was walking out of the building: “We said hello. I Say, “One day, maybe I want to do what you do. ” He put his hand on my heart and said, “You have a story to tell, and one day you will.” As the audience let out a collective “Wow,” Ferrell confessed, “Actually, never. happened.
Ferrell turned more serious, saying: “Thank you to the festival for recognizing comedy. Because when it’s good, it looks easy. But it’s hard.
