Santa Barbara Film Fest: Anne Hathaway, Star of ‘The Odyssey,’ Tapped for American Riviera Award

Anne Hathaway, the Oscar-winning actress who is back in the awards conversation for her portrayal of Penelope, opposite Matt Damon’s Odysseus, in Christopher Nolan’s acclaimed blockbuster The Odyssey, has been tapped by the Santa Barbara International Film Festival to receive its American Riviera Award.

Hathaway will be feted with an evening of clips and conversation, moderated by yours truly, at Santa Barbara’s historic Arlington Theatre on the evening of Friday, Feb. 5.

“Anne Hathaway has always impressed me with her theatrical sophistication, unwavering commitment, and remarkable versatility as a performer,” SBIFF executive director Roger Durling said in a statement. “In The Odyssey, she delivers a breathtaking performance, one that stands among the finest of her career, channeling simmering rage and profound emotional complexity into a portrayal that is at once fierce, vulnerable, poignant and unforgettable.”

The American Riviera Award was created by SBIFF to celebrate actors who have made a significant contribution to American cinema. Previous recipients include Ethan Hawke, Zoe Saldaña, Mark Ruffalo, Brendan Fraser, Kristen Stewart, Delroy Lindo, Renée Zellweger, Viggo Mortensen, Sam Rockwell, Jeff Bridges, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Patricia Arquette, Robert Redford, Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, Annette Bening, Sandra Bullock, Mickey Rourke, Tommy Lee Jones, Forrest Whitaker, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kevin Bacon and Diane Lane.

Hathaway is known for her versatility as a performer and producer. Her filmography includes beloved comedies like 2001’s The Princess Diaries and 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada; and acclaimed dramas like 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, 2008’s Rachel Getting Married and 2012’s Les Misérables, the last of which brought her best supporting actress Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA awards.

In addition to The Odyssey — which marks her third collaboration with Nolan, following 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises and 2014’s Interstellar — her remarkable 2026 has also included the films Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, The End of Oak Street and Verity, an adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s bestselling novel.

Hathaway’s upcoming projects include Ron Howard’s Alone at Dawn, Days of Thunder 2 opposite Tom Cruise, and The Princess Diaries 3.

Through her production company, Somewhere Pictures, Hathaway has also produced projects including The Idea of You, Verity and Mother’s Instinct.

The 42nd Santa Barbara International Film Festival will take place Feb. 3-13, 2027.