The annual AFI Awards luncheon took place at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, honoring the previous year's 10 best American films and TV shows, as selected by a jury convened by the American Film Institute. Some years, including this one, also feature special award recipients.
Attendees and Interactions
The event saw attendance from numerous prominent Hollywood figures, including actors Leonardo DiCaprio, Emma Stone, Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ariana Grande, Michael B. Jordan, George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Jacob Elordi, Joel Edgerton, Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke, Adam Scott, and Britt Lower. Directors and producers such as James Cameron, Ryan Coogler, Steven Spielberg, Chloé Zhao, Guillermo del Toro, and Vince Gilligan were also present. Key executives from studios and networks, including Netflix’s Ted Sarandos and Bela Bajaria, Warner Bros.’ Michael De Luca, FX’s John Landgraf, A24’s David Fenkel, and Apple’s Tim Cook, also attended.
During the cocktail hour, James Cameron and Leonardo DiCaprio, who collaborated on Titanic, greeted each other. Ryan Coogler and Chloé Zhao, who were Sundance writers lab classmates, conversed. Rhea Seehorn and Vince Gilligan reunited with Breaking Bad star Jesse Plemons. Chloé Zhao posed with Ariana Grande, Jessie Buckley, Steven Spielberg, and Tim Cook. George Clooney and Ted Sarandos engaged in conversation, after which Clooney introduced Adam Sandler and Laura Dern to Carol Burnett.
Ceremony Highlights
The official festivities commenced with a montage assembled by AFI’s Chris Merrill, showcasing significant film and TV work from previous years ending in the same number as the honorees' year. The montage, set to Charlie Chaplin's “Smile,” included clips from Jaws (directed by Spielberg), The Usual Suspects (featuring Benicio Del Toro), Creed (written/directed by Coogler, starring Jordan), The Revenant (starring DiCaprio), and Better Call Saul (starring Seehorn), prompting applause from attendees. A clip of Diane Keaton from 2005’s Something’s Gotta Give was also shown.
Following this, a montage featuring each of the AFI Awards honorees for 2025 was presented, with each project receiving recognition on screen.
AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale welcomed the guests, noting that Oona Chaplin, Charlie Chaplin’s granddaughter, was present. He stated that