{"id":5160,"date":"2026-05-16T16:49:05","date_gmt":"2026-05-16T16:49:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/16\/odessa-azion-and-connor-swindells-honored-by-chopard-in-cannes\/"},"modified":"2026-05-16T16:49:07","modified_gmt":"2026-05-16T16:49:07","slug":"odessa-azion-and-connor-swindells-honored-by-chopard-in-cannes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tmbglobal.news\/index.php\/2026\/05\/16\/odessa-azion-and-connor-swindells-honored-by-chopard-in-cannes\/","title":{"rendered":"Odessa A\u2019Zion and Connor Swindells Honored by Chopard in Cannes"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n\tThe Cannes Film Festival itineraries of leaders Thierry Fremaux and Iris Knobloch are understandably jam-packed with events, so when they stand in the spotlight together, and the former says \u201cthis is one of the best evenings of the festival,\u201d chances are it\u2019s going to be a good night.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe two joined Chopard<\/a>\u2019s Caroline Scheufele at Carlton Beach Friday night for the luxury jeweler\u2019s Chopard Trophy gala to fete two actors hand-picked as \u201cnext generation\u201d talents in the presence of a godmother tasked with presenting the trophies. This year, that honor went to French film icon Isabelle Huppert, who took her time in handing over the awards to Odessa A\u2019zion<\/a> and Connor Swindells<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tPrior to reading her speech, the actress, in Cannes for the world premiere of Asghar Farhadi\u2019s Parallel Tales<\/em>, said she took the gig \u201cvery seriously,\u201d and it showed. \u201cThe Chopard Trophy does not simply reward talent. It recognizes a movement, a promise, something that is already there yet still in the process of becoming,\u201d she said. \u201cPerhaps that is what it means to be an actor, to always be becoming. There are many actors in this room, and I\u2019m sure they agree with this.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThere were many actors and industry insiders in the room, including jury members Chloe Zhao<\/a>, Demi Moore<\/a>, Stellan Skarsgard and Ruth Negga as well as guests like James Franco<\/a>, Andie MacDowell, Dylan Sprouse (with pregnant wife Barbara Palvin), Riley Keough, Nicky Hilton, Xavier Dolan and others.<\/p>\n

\n\t\u201cCannes is a place of memory, but it\u2019s also a place of birth,\u201d Huppert continued in presenting the awards, an honor created by Scheufele in 2001, and previously bestowed upon Marion Cotillard, L\u00e9a Seydoux, Diane Kruger, Florence Pugh, Jessie Buckley, Ad\u00e8le Exarchopoulos, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Mike Faist, Joe Alwyn, Gael Garc\u00eda Bernal and others. \u201cEvery year, new faces appear. They come to enrich a story that constantly reveals itself and perhaps in the end, that is the true beauty of cinema. It never truly ends. It passes from one generation to another without even ever repeating itself. Tonight, we celebrate that continuity and we celebrate two singular presences, two sensibilities, two paths that are only beginning to be written and that we already want to follow.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tHuppert then said she does not wish A\u2019zion or Swindells success as they move forward in their careers. \u201cSuccess is uncertain, capricious, and sometimes deceptive. I wish you something else \u2014 I wish you freedom. The freedom to choose. The freedom to refuse. The freedom to explore unexpected territories. The freedom to be yourselves. The freedom to dream. And above all, the freedom to remain faithful to that mystery that brought you here, because that mystery is what make great actors.\u201d<\/p>\n

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At Trophee Chopard tonight at Carlton Beach as godmother Isabelle Huppert honors rising stars Odessa A\u2019zion + Connor Swindells in presence of #Cannes<\/a> jury + Thierry Fremaux, Iris Knobloch, Caroline Scheufele. pic.twitter.com\/tHQWviHHJv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Chris Gardner (@chrissgardner) May 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

\n\tIn accepting, A\u2019zion called it \u201creally weird, crazy and surreal\u201d to be in Cannes. \u201cI\u2019ve never been here before and never thought in a million years that this would be happening the first time that I came here. I don\u2019t know why you guys chose me, but I\u2019m so grateful that this is so cool,\u201d she said, joking that watching her highlight reel was a \u201chorrifying\u201d experience. \u201cThere are so many actors that I admire who are part of this lineage of this award and this is so crazy. This is really cool. Yeah, thank you, guys.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tA\u2019zion landed in Cannes after a breakout year thanks to her work in Josh Safdie\u2019s Marty Supreme <\/em>opposite Timoth\u00e9e Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow and Tyler, the Creator. She\u2019s also a series regular in Rachel Sennott\u2019s I Love LA.<\/em> Upcoming projects include Cody Fern\u2019s Mother Courage<\/em>, opposite Naomi Watts and Sarah Paulson, and Justine Triet\u2019s Fonda<\/em>. Previous credits include Sitting in Bars with Cake, Fresh Kills, Pools, Grand Army, Hellraiser<\/em> and She Rides Shotgun.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n\tMeanwhile, British actor Swindells had a breakout role as Adam Groff in Netflix\u2019s global phenomenon Sex Education.<\/em> He moves seamlessly between TV and film, period dramas, contemporary cinema and large-scale productions. His credits include Emma, The Vanishing,<\/em> Steven Knight\u2019s SAS Rogue Heroes<\/em>, William Tell<\/em> and Greta Gerwig\u2019s billion-dollar smash Barbie<\/em>. He next appears in Ruben \u00d6stlund\u2019s anticipated The Entertainment System Is Down<\/em> and Kayleigh Llewellyn\u2019s The Dreamlands.<\/em><\/p>\n

\n\tUnlike A\u2019zion, Swindells quipped that he \u201crather enjoyed looking at myself up there\u201d on the big screen to see his career in highlights. He ended his speech with a poignant nod to his late mother who died of cancer when he was just a child. \u201cMy mother\u2019s name is Phoebe. She died when I was very young and sadly, she didn\u2019t get to see any of this, but this definitely would not be possible if not for her. She\u2019s been an amazing spirit that\u2019s been with me all this time. So please, a round of applause for my mother.\u201d<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tOdessa A\u2019zion, Isabelle Huppert and Connor Swindells at the Karma<\/em> premiere on May 15, 2026, all in Chopard jewelry.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Photo by Clemens Bilan\/Pool\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tCaroline Scheufele and her dog, Byron, attend the Chopard Trophy gala. During her on stage comments, Knobloch praised Scheufele and Chopard, longtime festival sponsors: \u201cCaroline, I think you are the living proof that artificial intelligence will never replace the human being. There\u2019s nobody like you because there\u2019s nobody who is capable of having it designed the Palme d\u2019Or like you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Photo by Andreas Rentz\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tJury member Demi Moore attends the Chopard Trophy gala.<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Photo by Andreas Rentz\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

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\t\t\t\t\tJames Franco and Izabel Pakzad<\/span><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t(Photo by Andreas Rentz\/Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n