Newport Beach to Honor Jennifer Saunders at U.Okay.-Ireland Honors Event

The Newport Beach Film Festival has revealed the names to be honored in this yr’s Icon and Artists of Distinction classes ahead of next week’s U.Okay. and Ireland Honors event, hosted by Nick Mohammed and Edith Bowman.

This yr, the Icon Award will likely be introduced to comic and actor Jennifer Saunders. The Icon Award is the most prestigious award issued at the event, with earlier recipients including Stephen Fry, Bill Nighy, Lesley Manville, Richard E. Grant and Patrick Stewart.

The BAFTA Award profitable and BAFTA fellow Saunders’ roles embody sitcom “Absolutely Fabulous” and sketch comedy collection “French and Saunders,” with collaborator Dawn French. In addition, Saunders has starred in global blockbusters such as “Shrek,” “Sing” and “Death on the Nile,” in addition to Richard Eyre’s feature movie “Allelujah!” and Harlan Coben’s Netflix collection “The Stranger,” amongst many other initiatives.

Saunders can next be seen in the a lot anticipated upcoming blockbuster from Neal Street Productions, “The Magic Faraway Tree,” the place she is going to play the position of Grandma Thompson.

Meanwhile, the Artist of Distinction award honors established expertise whose work has made a major influence on the U.Okay. and Ireland leisure business over a number of years. The honorees for this class are Jack O’Connell (“Sinners,” “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple”), Sam Claflin (“Hunger Games,” “Lazarus”), Shirley Henderson (“I Swear,” “Bridget Jones”), Sophie Turner (“Game of Thrones,” “Steal”) and Timothy Spall (“Death Valley,” “Hamlet”).

O’Connell has featured in movies including the current “28 Years Later: The Bone Temple,” “Sinners” and “Back to Black,” for which he was nominated for a BAFTA. Claflin’s credit embody “Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” “Love, Rosie” and “Daisy Jones and the Six,” for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe.

Henderson has turn into a mainstay of British movie and tv, with roles in “Bridget Jones,” “Trainspotting” and “Wild Child,” in addition to her current flip in the BAFTA award nominated movie “I Swear.” SAG and Emmy award nominated Turner’s profession has seen her deal with roles from the notorious Sansa Stark on “Game of Thrones” and jewel thief Joan Hannington, to Lara Croft in the upcoming adaptation of “Tomb Raider” from Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

BAFTA award winner Spall is a veteran of the British movie and tv business with profession highlights including his roles in the Harry Potter franchise, “Mr Turner” and “Enchanted.”

President and CEO of Visit Newport Beach, Gary Sherwin, and CEO of Newport Beach Film Festival, Gregg Schwenk, said: “We are thrilled to announce the latest list of honorees for this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival U.K. and Ireland Honors event: Jennifer Saunders is a true industry titan of the industry and national treasure in the U.K., and this year’s Artists of Distinction, Jack O’Connell, Sam Claflin, Shirley Henderson, Sophie Turner and Timothy Spall have all established long running, diverse successful careers. This year’s honorees exemplify the exceptionally high standard of work coming out of the U.K. and Ireland, and we can’t wait to celebrate them at this year’s ceremony.”