Glenn Close Named Modern Master

During her storied career, Glenn Close has played myriad memorable roles. She’s starred in box office hits such as Fatal Attraction and 101 Dalmatians, played the central character in TV’s five-season series Damages, and won a Tony Award for her turn as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. For her litany of acting accomplishments — including her most recent role as Joan Castleman in the critically acclaimed film The Wife — the Santa Barbara International Film Festival has chosen Close as the recipient of the 2019 Maltin Modern Master Award.

“Glenn Close is one of the great actresses of our time. Versatility is her hallmark, and there is clearly nothing she can’t do,” said Leonard Maltin, the award’s namesake and moderator for the event. “She became a star with her first feature film, The World According to Garp, and has gone on to play everyone from Cruella de Vil to aging silent-film star Norma Desmond in the stage musical of Sunset Boulevard.”

Established in 1995, the Modern Master Award honors people who have contributed positively to our culture through their work as actors. Close will join an esteemed group of previous recipients, including Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Ben Affleck, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, Cate Blanchett, Will Smith, George Clooney, and Peter Jackson.

The Santa Barbara International Film Festival takes place January 30-February 9. See sbiff.org.