When Denis Villeneuve arrived at LACMA on Saturday night, his black Gucci tuxedo made him look more like James Bond than a director who’s spent the last decade in the desert of Arrakis. Perhaps that’s fitting since the filmmaker is currently putting the final touches on the 70mm Imax print of “Dune: Part Three” while simultaneously starting work on his Bond movie.
“It’s a very personal film and a project that is very close to my heart,” Villeneuve told Variety about wrapping up his “Dune” trilogy. “It’s also the project that is the completion of 10 years of work in the deep desert. I can just say that it has been a privilege of a lifetime to spend, and I enjoy every minute of it.”
On the topic of James Bond, news broke Friday that Villeneuve and producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman are inching closer to selecting the new 007, with finalists including Robert Pattinson, Nicholas Hoult, Callum Turner, Josh O’Connor and Jack Lowden.
On the red carpet, Villeneuve politely declined to comment about the casting speculation.
“I should not comment right now because every word I’m going to say is going to be scrutinized,” Villeneuve said. “I would just say that I’m having a great time.”
But inside the gala, he was ready to make some news. “For many years, LACMA has been a temple for me. Tonight feels like home, and to express my gratitude. With the blessing of my new friends at Amazon, I will reveal to you tonight who will be the next James Bond,” Villeneuve began, causing an audible stir in the crowd.
“The actor who will play the next James Bond is…” Villeneuve continued, pausing dramatically.
“And I will stop right now because Amy Pascal is about to have a heart attack,” he said, laughing. (Yes, the Canadian director was only joking.)
Read on for more from Villeneuve’s remarks and a peek inside the high-fashion gala.
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Nicole Kidman and Denis Villeneuve
Image Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA Nicole Kidman admitted that she was sweating bullets as she prepared to present to Denis Villeneuve.
“I’m just going to disclose I have sweaty armpits,” Kidman, wearing Chanel, joked. “Let’s keep it real here.”
Then, Kidman revealed that she’d traveled 15 hours from Australia (overnight!) to make the event because she’s such an admirer of Villeneuve — even though they haven’t worked together yet.
“About six years ago, I made a commercial for a little company called AMC Theaters,” Kidman said. “So much of what inspired me to be a part of that campaign and to champion the importance of returning to cinemas was the opportunity to experience films from the likes of tonight’s honoree, Denis Villeneuve.”
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Nicole Kidman
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA Despite the fact that Kidman and Villeneuve had never really met before Saturday night, the Oscar winner said she feels like she’s gotten to know “the deepest parts” of Villeneuve through his films.
“That is what extraordinary filmmakers do. They let you in. They reveal themselves to us through their work,” Kidman said. “They invite you into their imaginations, into their dreams, into their questions, and into their fears.”
She continued: “I feel like that transcends anything that needs an introduction, because his films explore the great mysteries of our existence: time, memory, identity, destiny, the things we cannot explain, and the possibility that there is something that we do not understand. That we will never understand.”
Kidman also recalled her experience watching an 11 p.m. screening of “Dune” at her local cinema and plans to return to the theater for “Dune: Part Three” when it hits theaters on Dec. 18.
“I will always be one of your audience,” she said.
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Denis Villeneuve
Image Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA Onstage, Denis Villeneuve reflected on a fortuitous visit to LACMA while he was preparing to film 2016’s “Arrival.”
“I was looking for guidance. Then I walk into the James Turrell exhibition … I watched people standing in a room in front of a brilliantly colored light in silence and in awe. And then I thought, ‘OK, I know how to direct the film now.’”
Villeneuve shared that he discovered the power of images early in life. “My first contact with the English language as a boy in Quebec was through cinema,” he explained. “I didn’t understand the words, so I watched the images, and I imagined what the characters were saying.”
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Timothée Chalamet, Tanya Lapointe, Denis Villeneuve and Nicole Kidman
Image Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA In addition to the support from his “Dune” star Timothée Chalamet and Kidman, Villeneuve was also saluted in a clip reel that included filmmakers Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Chloé Zhao, Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu, composer Hans Zimmer and producer Mary Parent.
“When I was 12, all my friends were raving about hockey, and all I cared was about Steven Spielberg,” Villeneuve said. “He became my hero. Steven is the reason I’m standing here today, and I’m lucky enough now to call him a friend.
“Then came James Cameron,” Villeneuve continued. “These are titans. James has always been ahead of his time, and I hope he was wrong when he predicted Skynet, the self-aware artificial intelligence Terminator. These friendships meant the world to me because I’ve always felt isolated as a director in my own bubble.”
He saluted Zhao, Cuarón and Iñárritu as “three phenomenal artists pushing the boundaries of cinematic expression in the most original ways.”
Villeneuve also thanked his frequent collaborators and his crews. “It takes many people to bring cinema to life. I want to honor their contribution in making my dreams come to life on screen,” he said.
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Tanya Lapointe and Denis Villeneuve
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety At the heart of each of Villeneuve’s films, there’s a question that he seeks to answer. “Dune Part Three,” Villeneuve (seen here with his wife and producing partner Tanya Lapointe) centers on Chalamet’s Paul and Zendaya’s Chani fighting to give their children a better world than the one they were given.
“We are at the crossroads, asking what defines a human being and what human expression is worth,” Villeneuve said. “Every parent on Earth is a little worried about the world our children will enter it.”
“For a filmmaker today, it is very real. I have a choice. I can create something with a prompt,” Villeneuve said, referencing the advent of AI tools. “Or I can go into the desert with actors, with a crew, and go on a real adventure where I learn about life and become better at my craft. Those are two different things.”
Even though one of those options is “more expensive than the other,” Villeneuve cracked, he firmly believes that the process of filmmaking is more important than the result.
“The process is how the human experience acquires its meaning,” Villeneuve said. “In this moment in time, it is more important than ever that human beings keep making art together. That is the heritage I want to leave to my children.”
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Anya Taylor-Joy and Denis Villeneuve
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Anya Taylor-Joy dropped by the gala to support her “Dune: Part Three” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve. What makes Villeneuve unique?
“It’s the vision,” Taylor-Joy said. “But it’s also the fact that when you’re working with him, he makes you feel that you’re a part of something bigger than yourself. He never makes anybody feel small, and he leads with such love and conviction, and I adore him.”
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Anya Taylor-Joy
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Anya Taylor-Joy, looking like a piece of art in archival Pierre Cardin, also weighed in on Villeneuve’s Bond movie.
“I’m excited to see what he’s going to do with all the fight sequences. I think he got a taste of it on ‘Dune,’ and I think he might be really, really good at it,” Taylor-Joy said.
The actress has also co-starred with four of the five reported finalists — Robert Pattinson (in “Dune”), Nicholas Hoult (“The Menu”), Josh O’Connor (“Emma”) and Callum Turner (“Emma”).
“I’ve been very lucky with my older brothers in film,” Taylor-Joy added. “They are delightful. They have taken very good care of me, and they’re all wonderful to watch on screen. So I’m excited to see who it’s going to be.”
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Viola Davis and Julius Tennon
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Viola Davis — here with Julius Tennon, both in Gucci — recalled working with Villeneuve on 2013’s “Prisoners.”
“Denis is one of the greatest directors I’ve ever worked with,” the Oscar winner said. “My favorite thing is when he loved a take and he said ‘Perfect,’ but in a French accent. I would say, ‘Say it again, Denis.’”
For her next act, Davis will star in “The Children of Blood and Bone,” reuniting with “The Woman King” director Gina Prince-Bythewood and star Thuso Mbedu. “She’s an extraordinary talent,” Davis said. “I think this is going to be her time.”
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Jordan Firstman
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety “Club Kid” filmmaker Jordan Firstman told Variety he most admires Villeneuve’s “restraint” as a director.
“He really knows how to hold back and when to go for it and let you ride the worm,” Firstman, wearing Ferragamo, said. “That’s what I tell all my students.”
As Villeneuve pivots to the Bond franchise, Firstman has a pitch: “I want to be a Bond gay. Like, instead of the Bond girls, I think they should make them gay guys.”
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Benito Skinner
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Benito Skinner, wearing ERL, joked that he was on a mission to figure out who Villeneuve chose to play the new 007.
“He must be so over it, like I have to stop fucking reading about it. We gotta just pick it. Are we close? I’m gonna ask him tonight,” Skinner said, laughing. (For the record, he’d like to play Bond’s tech genius, Q. “I’m like, use that pen. It’s a gun.”)
Why does Skinner admire Villeneuve?
“He builds worlds so beautifully,” Skinner said. “We don’t get that anymore. We need blockbusters. We need butts in seats at AMC the Grove. He’s just a true visionary, and we don’t have many, and that scares me. Even if [the world] is as insane as ‘Dune,’ you still feel the humanity in it.”
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Jessica Williams
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Jessica Williams (sparkling in Phan Huy) chose “Arrival” as her favorite Villeneuve film.
“I just really liked the way people responded to aliens,” Williams said. “People were so overwhelmed with it, and I thought that was a really cool take.”
As a fan of the filmmaker, the “Shrinking” star quickly conjured a pitch to join his Bond movie.
“I’d be a really cool-ass logistics person. I feel like I’d be really good in the Bond office,” she said. “I play a lot of parts where I’m like a lady that knows stuff, and I’d like to be a lady that knows stuff in that universe.”
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Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvó
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety “La Bola Negra” filmmakers Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvó (aka Los Javis), both in Gucci, said Villeneuve’s 2010 film “Incendies” was a key reference to their 2023 series “La Mesías.”
“He’s one of the best directors,” Ambrossi said, noting the innovative ways Villeneuve uses music and stages his scenes.
Calvó added: “He’s so full of idea and the way he works with actors — with the small parts [or] with the big parts, like the stars — it’s amazing. He’s a master.”
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Ashley Park, Anthony Ramos and Alex Garcia
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA Ashley Park — seen here with Anthony Ramos and Alex Garcia and wearing Prabal Gurung — said her favorite Villeneuve projects are the “Dune” movies and “Sicario.”
“Watching that film really shook me in a lot of different ways,” the “Emily in Paris” star said about “Sicario.”
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Denis Villeneuve, Nicole Kidman, Vija Celmins and Michael Govan
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA Vija Celmins (seen here with fellow honoree Denis Villeneuve, presenter Nicole Kidman and LACMA CEO Michael Govan, CEO) delivered a charming acceptance speech.
“You guys are just crazy party people,” Celmins said, as the well-heeled crowd burst into laughter.
The recognition from LACMA is special, Celmins explained, because “Los Angeles had a big influence on me. I had never lived next to the ocean, and I have never seen the land, and it sort of crept into my work.”
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Rachel Kushner, Vija Celmins and Michael Govan
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA After Rachel Kushner presented the award to Vija Celmins, the pair posed with LACMA CEO Michael Govan.
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Eva Chow, Michael Govan and Timothée Chalamet
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA During the program, Art+Film Gala co-chair Eva Chow announced she’d be stepping down from her post after 15 years.
“Together, we have raised close to $60 million for LACMA. That is something we can all be incredibly proud of,” Chow said. (She co-chairs the event with Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio.)
“It is difficult to put 15 years of memories, friendship, experiences into a few words,” Chow added. “To have started with an idea and to see it grow into one of Los Angeles’ most celebrated traditions has been one of great privileges of my life. I leave this chapter with tremendous pride, wonderful memories, and above all gratitude.”
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Sienna Miller, François-Henri Pinault and Salma Hayek Pinault
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA Sienna Miller smiles alongside Kering board chairman François-Henri Pinault and Salma Hayek Pinault. Gucci has been a presenting sponsor of the gala since its inception in 2011.
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Salma Hayek Pinault
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Salma Hayek Pinault looks red hot in Gucci.
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Salma Hayek Pinault, Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro
Image Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA Salma Hayek chats with Andrew Garfield and Monica Barbaro inside the gala.
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Monica Barbaro
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Monica Barbaro stuns in Gucci.
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Andrew Garfield
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Andrew Garfield cuts a striking figure in Gucci.
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Kim Kardashian
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Kim Kardashian sparkles in Gucci.
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Kylie Jenner
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Kylie Jenner serves a sultry look in Ashi Studio.
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Alix Earle
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Alix Earle dazzles in Gucci.
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Rosé
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Rosé looks chic in Saint Laurent.
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Odessa A’zion
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety Odessa A’zion makes a statement in a ruby-red Charles & Ron x Maison Privée coat.
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Guitarricadelafuente
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety “La Bola Negra” star Guitarricadelafuente smiles for photographers on the carpet.
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Parker Posey
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA “Wild Horse Nine” star Parker Posey dazzles in Gucci.
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Malin Akerman
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores/Variety “The Hunting Wives” star Malin Akerman strikes a pose in Saint Laurent.
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Brittany Snow
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores “The Hunting Wives” star Brittany Snow looks pretty in pink Ralph Lauren.
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Quinta Brunson and Chris Perfetti
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores “Abbott Elementary” stars Quinta Brunson and Chris Perfetti pose for photographers.
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Quinta Brunson
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Quinta Brunson stuns in Gucci.
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Paris Hilton
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Paris Hilton shimmers in Jenny Packham.
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Anderson .Paak
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Anderson .Paak smiles for photographers on the carpet.
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Curry Barker
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores “Obsession” filmmaker Curry Barker in Gucci.
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Sarah Paulson
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Sarah Paulson strikes a pose in Gucci.
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Jordyn Woods-Towns
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Jordyn Woods-Towns shimmers in Gucci.
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Alex Consani
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Alex Consani brings the drama in Gucci.
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Madelaine Petsch
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Madelaine Petsch stuns in Georges Hobeika.
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Madelyn Cline
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA Madelyn Cline poses for photographers.
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Julia Garner
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Julia Garner looks chic in custom Loewe.
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Alia Shawkat
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Alia Shawkat (in Gucci) poses for photographers on the carpet.
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Jennifer Tilly
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Jennifer Tilly sparkles on the red carpet.
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Vittoria Ceretti
Image Credit: Gilbert Flores Vittoria Ceretti cuts a classic figure in Gucci.
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David Ward and Irmelin DiCaprio
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA David Ward and Irmelin DiCaprio smile for photographers inside the gala.
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Tyriq Withers and Quenlin Blackwell
Image Credit: Presley Ann/Getty Images for LACMA Tyriq Withers and Quenlin Blackwell (both in Gucci) buddy up inside the gala.
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Jerry Bruckheimer and Olivia Munn
Image Credit: Getty Images for LACMA Jerry Bruckheimer and Olivia Munn (in archival Mugler) pose inside the gala.
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Elsa Hosk, Candice Swanepoel, Amber Valletta and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Image Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA Supermodels Elsa Hosk, Candice Swanepoel, Amber Valletta and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley stun in Gucci.
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Rosé
Image Credit: Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for LACMA Rosé closes the evening with a rocking four-song set, including the live debut of her single “New Trick,” followed by “Number One Girl,” a cover of The Killers’ “Read My Mind” and her smash hit “APT.”
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