Cumming was speaking about a favorite film of his, Emilia Pérez, the gonzo trans-centered, Spanish-language crime musical and the winner of the evening’s Vanguard Award. But the theme was present throughout the awards show at the Palm Springs Convention Center—setting an appropriate tone for the first black-tie ceremony of 2025, the midpoint of a season defined by massive swings and uncertainty.
It just so happened to be attended by pretty much every major contender in the race this year, before they plan to drive down to LA for the Golden Globes on Sunday and likely hang around for the few days of Oscar voting that follow. Consider the state of the race and your front-runners in mind were likely seated at one of the event’s dozens (hundreds?) of tables. The fiercely competitive best actress race saw Anora’s Mikey Madison kick off the evening with the Breakthrough Performance award; Babygirl’s Nicole Kidman arguably provide the night’s highlight with a rousing, tear-jerking dedication to her late mother; and Maria’s Angelina Jolie accept the Desert Palm Achievement Award from her godmother, Jacqueline Bisset. Karla Sofía Gascón took the stage with her Emilia Pérez cast. Cynthia Erivo cheered on Ariana Grande, recipient of the “Rising Star” award, a descriptor which—in her gut-busting presentation speech—Jennifer Coolidge took serious issue with: “I don’t want to argue with the Palm Springs Power Gays or their little 19-year-old handsome dates, but I just thought, ‘Rising Star?’ I mean, hasn’t Ariana Grande already risen?” (Roaring cheers followed.) And there was The Substance’s Demi Moore, while not a nominee herself offering a beautiful tribute to Sing Sing’s Colman Domingo, honored here for the second straight year. (He was recognized in 2024 for Rustin, which went on to earn him his first Oscar no