Laura Dern will honour George Clooney during the opening ceremony of the Venice Film Festival on September 2.
The actress will deliver the Laudatio speech for Clooney as he receives the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
Clooney to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award
Clooney will receive the prestigious award during the festival’s opening ceremony on the Lido.
The festival will celebrate him for his work as an actor, director and producer.
Clooney is one of only three people to earn Oscar nominations in six different categories. His nominations include best picture, director, lead actor, supporting actor, original screenplay and adapted screenplay.
Venice will also recognise Clooney’s work outside the film industry. His films and public profile reflect his dedication to social and humanitarian causes.
A Biennale statement described this as “a commitment to social and humanitarian causes, making him a figure of absolute prominence in the universe of show business today.”
Dern Shares History With Venice
Dern has a long relationship with the Venice Film Festival.
In 2025, she starred alongside Clooney in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, which competed at the festival.
She previously attended Venice with Haunted Summer in 1988 and October Sky in 1998.
Her other Venice appearances include Dr T. & the Women in 2000, Inland Empire in 2006, Marriage Story in 2019 and The Son in 2022.
Dern later won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Marriage Story.
The actress also has a connection to the Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement award. In 2006, she delivered the speech when Venice honoured filmmaker David Lynch with the award.
Clooney Returns to Venice
Clooney remains a familiar face at the Venice Film Festival.
Over the years, he has walked the red carpet at the Palazzo del Cinema with several films.
His Venice appearances include Out of Sight in 1998, Good Night, and Good Luck in 2005, Wolfs in 2024 and Jay Kelly in 2025.
Leave a Reply