Denis Villeneuve received honors alongside artist Vija Celmins at the 15th annual LACMA Art+Film Gala on November 7, where the filmmaker teased an announcement regarding the next James Bond casting.
- Leonardo DiCaprio and museum trustee Eva Chow co-chaired the 15th annual LACMA Art+Film Gala on November 7, 2026, in Los Angeles.
- Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and artist Vija Celmins were honored during the star-studded event presented by Gucci.
- Villeneuve playfully teased an announcement for the next James Bond casting before stopping himself to avoid alarming producer Amy Pascal.
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art hosted its fifteenth annual gala on November 7, 2026, bringing together figures from film, music, art, and fashion, as Page Six reported. Leonardo DiCaprio and museum trustee Eva Chow returned as co-chairs for the event, according to easternherald.com.
Nicole Kidman wore Chanel while Anya Taylor-Joy appeared in Pierre Cardin, easternherald.com noted. Other notable guests included Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Andrew Garfield, Julia Garner in Loewe, and Paris Hilton in Jenny Packham, alongside international stars like BLACKPINK member Rosé and aespa member Ningning.
LACMA recognized artist Vija Celmins for her detailed exploration of the natural world. Filmmaker Denis Villeneuve was honored for his visually striking epics, including the Dune trilogy, Arrival, Blade Runner 2049, and Sicario.
Before Villeneuve took the stage, a tribute video featured praise from prominent directors including Steven Spielberg, Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro G. Iñárritu, James Cameron, and Chloé Zhao.
“I’ve always felt that cinema is seen as a pop art—the film carries the burden of being popular in the present,” Villeneuve said during his acceptance speech. “Pero at the end of the day, the real challenge is to make something that can enter the test of time.”
Addressing ongoing industry reports regarding Bond 26, which he is slated to direct for Amazon MGM, Villeneuve addressed the room playfully regarding the casting rumors. “The actor who will play the next James Bond is—and I will stop right now because producer Amy Pascal is about to have a heart attack,” he said with a smile.
The evening also welcomed younger filmmakers and artists such as Curry Barker, Jordan Firstman, and Los Javis directors Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. Ambrossi noted on the carpet that they planned to take the evening easier than their viral appearance at the Academy Museum Gala weeks prior.
