Veteran American filmmaker Steven Spielberg has tested positive for coronavirus.
The 75-year-old director missed his planned introduction of the Michelle Williams tribute at the 32nd Annual Gotham Awards in Manhattan on Monday night.
Paul Dano, Williams’ co-star in the Spielberg-directed movie "The Fabelmans", took the podium and read some background on — and recounted some personal memories of — the four-time Oscar-nominated actress.
Dano recalled the duo being at the movie’s Hollywood premiere and how they got to talking about being young actors in Los Angeles.
“Michelle said, ‘I remember just driving around town looking for work,'” he said. “And I thought, ‘Imagine if that teenage girl knew that at the midpoint of her career she’d be seeing a tribute award at the Gothams from none other than Steven Spielberg, and what would she have thought?'”
He added: “And then I thought, ‘Well, what if we had to tell that girl that Steven got Covid?’ She’d be like, ‘What’s Covid?’ and that ‘Paul Dano was going to introduce you?’ She’d be like, ‘Who the f**k is Paul Dano?’”.
"The Fabelmans" is an autobiographical work inspired by Spielberg’s childhood years.
The timing of the diagnosis is brutal, coming just as the 2022-23 awards season kicks into high gear.
The acclaimed filmmaker is set to be feted with a special homage at the 73rd edition of the Berlin International Film Festival, which will run February 16-26, 2023.
The festival will present Spielberg with an Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement and also screen most of his recent work, including "The Fabelmans".
Spielberg has 59 director credits and more than 180 producer credits to his name in an award-winning, hit-making career spanning 63 years.
He has been nominated for an Academy Award 19 times and has taken three statuettes home over years, comprising Best Director for "Saving Private Ryan" in 1999 and Best Director and Best Picture for "Schindler’s List" in 1994.
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