A-Listers Bring Their A-Games to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival’s Virtuosos Awards Festivities

Unconcerned about the competing Super Bowl, crowds of fans began gathering outside the Arlington Theater in the afternoon for the talented and buzzworthy crop of performers honored at the 2025 SBIFF Virtuosos Awards on Sunday night. It’s no wonder the selfie-seekers were out in force, this year’s honorees — interviewed by the affable Dave Karger for the 15th consecutive year (he’s also the host of Turner Classic Movies) — included Ariana Grande (Wicked), Clarence Maclin (Sing Sing), Fernanda Torres (I’m Still Here), John Magaro (September 5), Mikey Madison (Anora), Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), Sebastian Stan (The Apprentice), and Selena Gomez (Emilia Pérez).

Interviewed individually first in alphabetical order by first name — which conveniently bookended the household names of Ariana Grande and Selena Gomez — the energetic actors each had a short clip from their breakout roles, followed by a sit-down with Karger. Grande shared that she had long had her eye on Wicked’s Glinda character originated on Broadway by Kristen Chenoweth. “Playing Glinda was the dream of my life, and I was so deeply grateful to do that work and that was more than enough. To be recognized in this way is something you don’t even think about so I’m deeply grateful.”

She also teased a bit about part two of the movie, coming later in the year.  “It’s very special, very emotional. I think the second movie really embodies unconditional love and forgiveness and friendship and you’ll have to wait and see but it’s quite different. You’ll see people bear the repercussions of their choices.”

Maclin, once a real life prisoner in Sing Sing, spoke eloquently about returning to that time for the film. “As you could imagine, on the onset, it was a lot of apprehension about going back to a place I clawed myself out of, then to walk back into a prison and put on the uniform that so readily identified you as an outcast. The message is that people in prison are just that, they’re just people, and they have the ability to change. That message was more important than the apprehension I suffered to get that message out.” 

(SBIFF honors his co-star in Sing Sing, Colman Domingo, on Friday, February 14, with the Montecito Award. And it will be presented by one of Montecito’s most beloved and famous residents, Oprah Winfrey.)

Torres, who stars in the Brazilian film I’m Still Here — Academy Award-nominated for both Best Picture and Best International Feature, as well as a Best Actress nod for Torres — had a particularly special experience on set, as  her mother Fernanda Montenegro, a legendary figure in Brazilian cinema, made a memorable cameo in the film as an older version of Torres’s character. In addition, in 1999, Montenegro was nominated for Best Actress at the Oscars for her unforgettable performance in Central Station, an earlier film by the same director, Walter Salles. 

September 5 star Magaro said of the movie — which follows a crew of American sports broadcasters during the 1972 Munich Olympics who find themselves thrust into covering the hostage crisis involving Israeli athletes — that he was attracted in part by the idea of going back into history. “The idea that film can transport us back in time and show us a moment in history that changed everything is really intriguing to me.”

Of her Anora experience, Madison talked about how transformative it was to work with director Sean Baker, who wrote the role for her after seeing her in the Scream movies (she also does some memorable screaming in Anora). “There was no script, we had a coffee and it was the first time a director gave a role without auditioning me,” she said, seeming still a bit astounded by her good fortune. “The experience of making the film was so special and so very transformative because of what it was like to make that movie. As a person, as an actor, I grew,” she said.

Barbaro, who played Joan Baez in A Complete Unknown, talked about the challenge of both acting and singing in a way that was reflective of Baez without being an impersonation. At the time Baez’s performance style “was quite still,” explained Barbaro. “People would talk about her seeming deeply troubled and affected by the songs she was singing.”

Stan, who was completely unrecognizable in his role as Donald Trump in The Apprentice, talked about his extensive prep work for playing such a recognizable public figure. “There was obviously so much footage and it was really helpful. Part of it was like learning a new instrument, you practice until you can do it. I worked with a dialect coach and everything had a purpose, the lips weren’t there for no reason. He doesn’t really breathe, you look at his posture and wonder why it’s that way,” he said. Adding, “You spend months preparing for lightning to strike, and you go there and want to be surprised,” as he was working with his co-star Jeremy Strong, who played Roy Cohn in the film. Both are nominated for Academy Awards. 

Gomez handled being on the hot seat with grace due to some controversy with her Emilia Pérez co-star Karla Sofía Gascón (who was originally also slated to be a Virtuosos Award winner and was missing from the bill, as were Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain), Harris Dickinson (Babygirl) — no explanation was provided for their absence). “Some of the magic has disappeared,” admitted Gomez, “but I continue to be proud of what I’m doing, and I’m just grateful, no regrets, I’d do this movie over and over again if I could.”

Much to the disappointment of some of her music fans in the audience, Gomez said, “I think I’m ready to just focus on this for a while, film and art making and being around talented people who uplift me along the way. I think it’ll be hard for me to go back to music after this.”

Karger followed up the individual interviews with a lively group discussion, featuring mostly light-hearted questions like “if you were an Olympic athlete, which sport would you compete in?” Grande appeared to give it some serious thought before saying she’d like to be a figure skater, while both Magaro and Torres thought they might have some aptitude for curling. 

Following the award program, the Virtuosos continued the celebratory fun, gathering to unwind at an exclusive VIP after-party sponsored by DAOU Vineyards, the official wine partner for SBIFF. 

The 40th annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival continues through February 15. For more information see sbiff.org.