Each year the Gotham Awards kick off the start of awards season and honor independent and lower-budget movies. Hosted by the Gotham Film & Media Institute, this year’s competitive nominees include a race for Best Feature that includes “The Green Knight,” “Passing,” and “Pig.”
The Gotham Awards previously announced that “Spencer” actor Kristen Stewart will receive a Performer Tribute, Eamonn Bowles will get the Industry Tribute, the cast of “The Harder They Fall” the Ensemble Tribute, and Jane Campion the Director’s Tribute. Mirroring the shift to gender-neutral competitive categories, this year’s tributes have shifted from “actor” and “actress” to “performer.”
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“The roots of Peter Dinklage’s extraordinary career are firmly grounded in independent film. As his work has grown in major features and TV shows to reach audiences everywhere, Peter has remained a steadfast supporter of this community of independent artists, bringing so many iconic characters to life through his powerful, captivating, and often hilarious performances,” said Jeffrey Sharp, executive director the institute. “‘Cyrano’ puts Peter’s full range as an actor on display. We are thrilled to recognize this most treasured performer who has won the hearts of audiences across the world as part of this year’s celebration.”
“Cyrano” stars Dinklage as the titular character, a wordsmith and master swordsman who grapples with unrequited love for Roxanne (Haley Bennett) and prejudice around his short stature. Directed by Joe Wright, the film is a musical adaptation of the 1897 French play “Cyrano de Bergerac.” The musical premiered at Telluride to positive reviews and is set for release by MGM’s UA Releasing on January 21 in the U.S.
When Dinklage began working as an actor in the mid ’90s, he struggled to book roles because he refused to play the kind of well-paying roles often offered to little people, such as elves or leprechauns. His feature debut came in the 1995 Sundance Award–winning “Living in Oblivion,” where he played an actor frustrated by those kinds of cliched roles. Over the next decade, he acted in various shows and movies before breaking out in Tom McCarthy’s 2003 film “The Station Agent,” which earned him SAG and Indie Spirit nominations.
That led to more work in film, TV, and theater. He found mainstream success as a fan-favorite character on “Game of Thrones,” the most quick-witted, bacchanalian, and morally steady member of the ruthless Lannisters. He won four Emmys for best supporting actor in a drama over the show’s eight-season run, setting a record for that category. The nonprofit The Actors Fund, which supports performer and non-performers working in entertainment, boosted their aid in 2020 amid the pandemic; last year they provided more than $23.9 million in direct financial support. They assisted more than 40,000 people from all 50 states and Puerto Rico, an increase of 71 percent from the year before. Assistance includes financial, health care, mental health, employment, and housing support, according to the Gotham. “We at The Gotham are thrilled to recognize the tremendous work of The Actors Fund with our Impact Tribute in recognition of their leadership role in providing resources, care and financial support to members of our community during the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sharp said. “There are few organizations in our industry that play such a pivotal role in lifting up and supporting so many performing arts and entertainment professionals by offering a wide array of essential services while addressing a variety of challenges faced by workers of all backgrounds. We are honored to recognize their incredible work supporting the many people who keep us entertained.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
