Rihanna, A$AP Rocky watch Denzel Washington award in Cannes

Washington was at the festival for the first time for the premiere of his latest film with director Spike Lee, "Highest 2 Lowest".
20 May 2025 08:35am
US actor Denzel Washington receives the Honorary Palme d'Or ahead of the screening of the film "Highest 2 Lowest" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 19, 2025. (Photo by Valery HACHE / AFP)
CANNES - Rapper A$AP Rocky and his partner Rihanna watched on as Denzel Washington received a surprise lifetime award at the Cannes film festival on Monday.
Washington, 70, was at the festival for the first time for the premiere of his latest film with director Spike Lee, "Highest 2 Lowest". US actor Denzel Washington (C) receives the Honorary Palme d'Or from US director and executive producer Spike Lee (L) next to Cannes Film Festival General Delegate Thierry Fremaux ahead of the screening of the film "Highest 2 Lowest" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 19, 2025. (Photo by Valery HACHE / POOL / AFP)
The two-time Oscar-winning actor was presented with an honorary Palme d'Or by festival chiefs Thierry Fremaux and Iris Knobloch before the screening, where A$AP Rocky and Rihanna were among the VIPs.
A$AP Rocky is Washington's co-star in "Highest 2 Lowest", extending an acting career that includes "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" by Mary Bronstein, which showed at the Berlin film festival in February.
Before handing over the prize to Washington, Fremaux introduced a montage of Washington's memorable performances including in "Malcolm X" and "Mo' Better Blues", both directed by Lee. Barbadian singer and actress Rihanna leaves after the screening of the film "Highest 2 Lowest" at the 78th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 19, 2025. (Photo by Sameer AL-DOUMY / AFP)
Clips were also shown from "Glory", which earned him an Oscar for best supporting actor in 1989, and "Training Day", for which he won best actor in 2002.
The cast of "Highest 2 Lowest" put on a show on the Cannes red carpet, with Spike Lee in an orange pinstripe suit, round glasses and an orange-and-blue hat, and A$AP Rocky showing off a gold dental piece.
Although Cannes usually hands out honorary awards in dedicated ceremonies, it is not unusual for actors to receive them unexpectedly -- as happened with Harrison Ford at the premiere of "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" in 2023. - AFP
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