The Palm Springs International Film Awards has announced that Michael B. Jordan is the recipient of the Icon Award for his performance in “Sinners.” The Film Awards will take place on January 3rd, 2026, at the Palm Springs Convention Center, with the festival running from January 2nd to January 12th, 2026. The event will be presented by Kering and sponsored by Entertainment Tonight.
“Michael B. Jordan once again proves why he’s been one of the most compelling performers for the past two decades. In “Sinners,” his reunion with Ryan Coogler yields a bold and intricate performance as twin brothers Smoke and Stack. Michael’s ability to inhabit two distinct souls with such power and nuance is nothing short of extraordinary. For this remarkable achievement, and for his impressive body of work, we are proud to honor him with the Palm Springs International Film Awards Icon Award,” said Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi.
Jordan joins this year’s previously announced honorees, Adam Sandler for “Jay Kelly” (Chairman’s Award) and “Sentimental Value” cast members Renate Reinsve, Stellan Skarsgård, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning (International Star Award). Past winners of the Icon Award include Glenn Close, Willem Dafoe, Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Lady Gaga, Paul Giamatti, Tom Hanks, and Meryl Streep. In their respective years, Close (“The Wife“), Dafoe (“The Florida Project“), Duvall (“The Judge”), Giamatti (“The Holdovers“), and Streep (“August: Osage County”) were each nominated for an Academy Award.
In Warner Bros. Pictures’ feature film “Sinners,” twin brothers Smoke and Stack, who survived combat in WWI and the gangland of Chicago, return to their hometown of Clarksdale, Mississippi, with a truck full of liquor to open a juke joint. As music and dance meld in celebration of artistry, culture, and history, an evil descends, threatening to devour the heart and soul of the community. Written and directed by filmmaker Ryan Coogler—and designed with large format in mind, lensing on both proprietary IMAX 15/65mm and on Ultra Panavision 70 cameras—”Sinners” stars Jordan, Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Miller, and Delroy Lindo. “Sinners” marks Jordan and Coogler’s fifth collaboration together, having previously teamed up on “Fruitvale Station,” “Creed,” “Black Panther,“ and “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Director, actor, and producer Michael B. Jordan is recognized as an industry leader invested in bringing social change to Hollywood through his art and philanthropy. Jordan first garnered industry-wide attention for his breakout role in “Fruitvale Station,“ which won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, among other accolades that year. In 2019, Jordan was awarded the NAACP Image Award for Best Supporting Actor and a 2019 SAG Award as part of “Black Panther’s“ Best Ensemble, following critical acclaim for his multi-dimensional portrayal of the tormented Erik Killmonger. His other film credits include “Without Remorse,” “Fahrenheit 451,” “Just Mercy,” “Creed,“ and “Creed II.“ In 2023, he made his feature film directorial debut in “Creed III.“ Next up, he is set to direct and star in MGM’s reimagining of “The Thomas Crown Affair.“ He will also star and produce an adaptation of Tom Clancy’s “Rainbow Six“ and “I Am Legend 2,“ alongside Will Smith.
What do you think of this news for the Palm Springs International Film Festival? Have you seen “Sinners” yet? If so, what did you think of the film and do you believe Michael B. Jordan will receive his first Oscar nomination for his performance in the film? Please let us know your thoughts in the comments section below or on our X account.
