Steven Spielberg had to miss the Gotham Awards (Picture: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)
Steven Spielberg was forced to miss the Gotham Awards in New York City after he contracted Covid-19.
The filmmaker was due to present Michelle Williams with a performer tribute, with actor Paul Dano stepping in.
The two actors star together in Spielberg’s new film The Fabelmans, with Paul talking about Michelle’s early years in Hollywood in his speech.
‘Michelle said, “I remember just driving around town looking for work,”‘ he recalled.
‘And I thought, “Imagine if that teenage girl knew that at the midpoint of her career she’d be seeing a tribute award at the Gothams from none other than Steven Spielberg, and what would she have thought?”‘
He continued (according to Variety): ‘Then I thought, “Well, what if we had to tell that girl that Steven got Covid?” She’d be like, “What’s Covid?” and that “Paul Dano was going to introduce you?” She’d be like, “Who the f**k is Paul Dano?”‘
Paul Dano stepped in to present Michelle Williams with her award (Picture: Mike Coppola/Getty Images for The Gotham Film & Media Institute)
Michelle was honoured with a performer tribute (Picture: Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for GreenSlate)
Michalle stars in the director’s new film, The Fabelmans (Picture: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Thankfully, Michelle didn’t seem to mind too much that Paul was the one handing her the award.
Spielberg was also due to be interviewed by Martin Scorsese at a screening for The Fabelmans, which has been postponed.
Michelle, who welcomed her third child earlier this year, rose to fame in Dawson’s Creek, before receiving critical acclaim for her roles in films like Wendy & Lucy, Blue Valentine, and Manchester By The Sea.
She has also starred in wildly popular films including Shutter Island, The Greatest Showman, and My Week With Marilyn, which she won a Golden Globe for.
Elsewhere at the Gotham Awards, the film Everything Everywhere All At Once won best feature.
Star Ke Huy Quan, who returned to acting following a 20-year hiatus and who also won best supporting performance at the awards, told attendees: ‘Oftentimes it is in independent films, where actors who otherwise wouldn’t get a chance, find their opportunities. I was that actor.’
Danielle Deadwyler won best leading performance for her role in Till, while Murina’s Gracija Flipovic won the breakthrough performer award.
Meanwhile, Adam Sandler won audiences over with a hilarious speech he said was written by his daughters.
Metro.co.uk has contacted reps for Steven Spielberg for comment.
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Paul Dano stepped in to present an award to Michelle Williams.
