Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) announced today that George Clooney will receive the 51st Chaplin Award at a gala evening on Monday, April 27, 2026. One of Hollywood’s most influential figures, Clooney is widely admired for his multifaceted career as an actor, director, and producer, as well as for his global humanitarian work and reputation for humility, quick wit, and personal integrity. 

“It was a true pleasure to welcome George Clooney to Film at Lincoln Center in September for the premiere of Jay Kelly, a highlight of the 63rd New York Film Festival,” said Daniel Battsek, FLC President. “We are honored to invite him back to celebrate a professional life that reflects such extraordinary range and purpose. From award-winning performances to standout producing work to acclaimed directing, George brings a distinctive blend of intelligence, craft, and social conscience to everything he does. His contributions continue to inspire audiences and artists around the world.”

Dan Stern, Chairman of the FLC Board of Directors, said, “George Clooney embodies a rare blend of artistry, generosity, humor, and integrity. His unmistakable on-screen charisma is matched by the excellence he brings behind the camera as a director and producer, consistently using his influence to champion emerging talent and shine a light on urgent humanitarian issues around the world. We are proud to present George with the 51st Chaplin Award, placing him among the cinematic luminaries who have received this honor over the last half-century.”

Clooney is celebrated for his prolific contributions to film and television, including wide-ranging creative achievements as an actor, writer, director, and producer. He has earned historic recognition, including two Academy Awards, with nominations in a record six different categories, as well as multiple Golden Globes, SAG Awards, and an AFI Life Achievement Award. His screen career spans widely praised performances in films such as Out of Sight, Syriana, O Brother Where Art Thou, Up in the Air, and the Oceans trilogy. He is equally acclaimed behind the camera, earning two Academy Award nominations for writing and one for directing. Through his production companies—first Section Eight with Steven Soderbergh and later Smokehouse Pictures with Grant Heslov—Clooney has helped bring to life celebrated projects including Argo, The Ides of March, The Boys in the Boat, The Tender Bar, The Midnight Sky, Catch-22, and numerous major studio features. He continues to act in and produce high-profile projects, recently appearing in Jay Kelly, which premiered at the 63rd New York Film Festival, and producing Showtime’s The Agency. His work has extended to the stage as well, earning a Tony nomination for his Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck, the first Broadway production to be broadcast live on CNN.

Equally notable is Clooney’s longstanding commitment to humanitarian advocacy. He has been an outspoken defender of the First Amendment and a leading voice in global human-rights campaigns, especially regarding the crises in Darfur and Sudan. Clooney’s efforts have included producing documentaries, addressing the United Nations Security Council, co-founding the “Not On Our Watch” initiative to prevent mass atrocities, and launching the Satellite Sentinel Project to monitor human-rights violations via satellite imagery. His activism has earned numerous honors, including the Peace Summit Award, designation as a U.N. Messenger of Peace, the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award, and the Robert F. Kennedy Ripple of Hope Award. Whether advancing storytelling on screen or advocating for vulnerable communities around the world, Clooney has forged a career defined by artistic excellence and global engagement. 

Presented each year at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the Chaplin Award recognizes an individual’s significant contributions to the art of cinema. Past recipients have included Pedro Almodóvar, Viola Davis, Cate Blanchett, Spike Lee, Meryl Streep, Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, Sidney Poitier, and Gregory Peck (see complete list below). As Film at Lincoln Center’s major annual fundraiser, the Chaplin Award Gala sustains the nonprofit organization’s year-round programs—from film series and educational initiatives to marquee festivals such as the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films.

To secure your table or tickets for the full evening, including preferred seating at the 51st Chaplin Award Tribute and Gala dinner, contact [email protected]. Tribute-only tickets will go on sale in January.

Explore the history of the Chaplin Award Gala here.

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER

Film at Lincoln Center (FLC) is a nonprofit organization that celebrates cinema as an essential art form and fosters a vibrant home for film culture to thrive. In state-of-the-art theaters at New York’s prestigious Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, FLC presents film festivals, retrospectives, new releases, restorations, and talks, including the New York Film Festival and New Directors/New Films. FLC’s year-round programming reflects the extensive diversity of global cinema, offering audiences the opportunity to discover films by established and emerging directors from around the world.

Founded in 1969, FLC is committed to preserving the excitement of the theatrical experience for all audiences, advancing high-quality film journalism through the publication of Film Comment, cultivating the next generation of film industry professionals through our FLC Academies, and enriching the lives of all who engage with our programs.

The Chaplin Award Gala is generously supported by Media Partners The New York Times and The Hollywood Reporter. American Airlines is the official airline of Film at Lincoln Center.

Film at Lincoln Center receives generous, year-round support from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature. For more information, visit filmlinc.org and follow @filmlinc on X and Instagram.

For press inquiries regarding the Chaplin Award Gala or Film at Lincoln Center, please contact:
John Kwiatkowski, Film at Lincoln Center, [email protected]
Eva Tooley, Film at Lincoln Center, [email protected]