Tessa Thompson Honored with Gotham Film Awards Spotlight

Tessa Thompson is set to be honored with the Spotlight Award at the 35th annual Gotham Film Awards, taking place on December 1 in New York City. The award celebrates Thompson's standout performance in the upcoming Amazon MGM Studios drama Hedda, which world premiered at the Toronto Film Festival just last month.

Directed and written by Nia DaCosta, Hedda is an adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's renowned play, set in 1950s England. Thompson takes on the role of the titular newlywed, whose discontent and yearning for a past love will be revealed at a lavish party she and her husband George (Tom Bateman) can't afford. Over the course of the evening, the high and low of society endure the consequences of Hedda's ruthless manipulation, as lust, jealousy, and betrayal collide.

Gotham Film & Media Institute executive director Jeffrey Sharp praised Thompson's "fearless and revelatory" interpretation, which "deepens one of dramatic literature's most complex characters and brings her into new focus for the audience." The actress also serves as a producer on the film, which co-stars Imogen Poots and Nicholas Pinnock.