Penélope Cruz to Be Feted at 2025 Academy Museum Gala

Penélope Cruz, Walter Salles, Bruce Springsteen, and Bowen Yang will be honored at the 5th annual Academy Museum fundraising gala, taking place on October 18.

The star-studded evening, presented by Rolex, raises vital support for the museum’s exhibitions, screenings, and educational programming.

Oscar-winning actress Cruz will receive the Icon Award, which recognizes an artist whose career has made a significant global impact.

Brazilian filmmaker Salles, who helmed the Oscar-winning international feature “I’m Still Here,” will be honored with the Luminary Award for his innovative contributions to expanding the boundaries of filmmaking.

Music legend and Grammy and Oscar winner Springsteen, who is also slated to perform live during the event, will be the recipient of the museum’s inaugural Legacy Award, celebrating his influence on generations of storytellers and his cultural impact.

Moreover, recent Emmy nominee Yang (“Saturday Night Live”) will be presented with the Vantage Award, which honors artists who help challenge dominant narratives in cinema.

Penélope Cruz, Walter Salles, Bruce Springsteen, and Bowen Yang

The gala supports the museum’s mission-driven initiatives, including public programming, educational activities for K–12 students, and access initiatives that benefit the Los Angeles community and beyond.

This year’s honorees join a prestigious list of past recipients, including Paul Mescal, Rita Moreno, and Quentin Tarantino.

“The Academy Museum Gala is a special evening dedicated to bringing together individuals to champion the celebration, advancement, and preservation of cinema,” said Amy Homma, Academy Museum director and president. “As we gather for a fifth year, we are honored to recognize Penélope Cruz, Walter Salles, Bruce Springsteen, and Bowen Yang—storytellers whose influence resonates in film and beyond. We are deeply grateful to our founding supporters, including Rolex, for their enduring commitment to cinema, and to our gala co-chairs for making this event possible.”

The 2025 Gala Co-Chairs include Robert Downey Jr., Susan Downey, Jon M. Chu, Viola Davis, Jennifer Hudson, Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, Common, and Julius Tennon.

The Academy Museum also revealed its 2025 Gala Host Committee, a who’s who of the entertainment industry, including Willem Dafoe, Oscar Isaac, Zoë Kravitz, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Lupita Nyong’o, Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder, Amy Adams,Tessa Thompson, Rachel Zegler, Judd Apatow, Gael García Bernal, Laura Dern, Colman Domingo, Goldie Hawn, Chloë Sevigny, and many more.