2016 Maui Film Festival Award Honorees
Michael B. Jordan
Rainmaker Award
Michael B. Jordan was last seen in Ryan Coogler’s highly acclaimed film “Creed”, starring alongside Sylvester Stallone and Tessa Thompson. In 2015, Jordan also starred in a new version of “Fantastic Four,” playing the role of ‘Johnny Storm’ aka ‘The Human Torch’, opposite Miles Teller, Jamie Bell, and Kate Mara. He has previously starred in “Chronicle,” “That Awkward Moment,” opposite Zac Efron and Miles Teller and the George Lucas produced film “Redtails.”
Jordan successfully took on his first major leading film role when he starred as ‘Oscar Grant’ in Ryan Coodler’s “Fruitvale Station.” The cast included Octavia Spencer and Melonie Diaz, and was produced by Forest Whitaker. It premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival where it received the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award for U.S. Dramatic Film. “Fruitvale Station” has garnered many awards including Best First Feature at the 2014 Independent Spirit Awards, Outstanding Independent Motion Picture at the 2014 NAACP Image Awards and the 2014 Stanley Kramer Award from the Producer’s Guild of America. The 2013 New York Film Critics Circle honored Fruitvale Station with Best First Film and the picture was also chosen as one of the Top Ten Films at the 2013 National Board of Review Awards, where Michael took home the award for Breakthrough Actor. Michael also won the 2013 Gotham Award for Breakthrough Actor and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Lead Actor.
Jordan has also starred in three of the most critically celebrated television dramas of the past decade. First, Jordan played the hard-shelled but softhearted ‘Wallace’ in HBO’s dramatic hit series “The Wire”. He then went on to star as quarterback ‘Vince Howard’ on “Friday Night Light,” before playing recovered alcoholic, ‘Alex’, on Parenthood.”
Viola Davis
Navigator Award
Viola Davis is a critically revered award-winning actress of film, television and theater known for her intriguingly diverse roles. Davis is currently starring on the ABC drama “How to Get Away with Murder.” In 2015, Davis received the Screen Actors Guild Award for “Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Drama Series,” in addition to the Primetime Emmy Award for “Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.” Earlier this year, she received her second Screen Actors Guild Award for portraying Annalise Keating.
In 2012, Davis received an Oscar nomination for “Best Actress” for her portrayal of ‘Aibileen Clark’ in “The Help,” directed by Tate Taylor. Davis won the Screen Actors Guild and Critics’ Choice “Best Actress” Awards for her portrayal of ‘Aibileen,’ and was also nominated for a Golden Globe and British Academy Film Award. In 2008, Davis starred in “Doubt” based on John Patrick Shanley’s Tony Award winning play. Davis was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, Screen Actors Guild Award and an Academy Award for her performance. Davis won the Independent Spirit Award for “Best Supporting Female” in 2003 for her performance in “Antwone Fisher.”
This summer, Davis will be seen in the highly anticipated “Suicide Squad” which also stars Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Jared Leto. The film will be released on August 5, 2016.
Bryan Cranston
Navigator Award
Cranston was most recently seen playing the titular role in the film Trumbo. His performance garnered nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, a SAG Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Critics’ Choice Award in 2016 for Best Actor. Cranston has won four Emmy® Awards, a Golden Globe Award and three SAG Awards for his portrayal of Walter White on AMC’s Breaking Bad. His performance also earned him two additional Emmy® nominations, three Golden Globe nominations and a Television Critics Association award.
Additionally, Cranston won a SAG award for his co-starring role in the 2012 Oscar-winning Best Picture, Argo. Cranston won a Tony® Award for his Broadway debut as President Lyndon B. Johnson in All the Way. The HBO film adaption of the play is being produced by Cranston’s production company, Moonshot Entertainment, along with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Television and Tale Told Productions. All The Way will premiere on HBO on May 21, 2016.
