Welcome to Variety Awards HQ — your weekly command center for the Oscars race.
It’s Dec. 15, 2025, and this edition is dedicated to the magnificent Rob Reiner.
The news out of Los Angeles is devastating. Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer, are no longer with us, and the shock of that loss still hasn’t settled in. In moments like this, language feels inadequate. I won’t focus on the tragedy. Instead, all we can do is look back — at the work, at the moments, at the stories — and say thank you.
The first Rob Reiner film I ever saw was “A Few Good Men.” I was too young to understand the mechanics of military law or the intricacies of courtroom procedure, but I understood the electricity of conviction. The thrill of watching ideas collide. The power of words when they felt sharp as a blade.
“You can’t handle the truth!”
Jack Nicholson roared onto the screen, and even then, it felt like a cultural moment being born in real time. Reiner received his sole Academy Award nomination as a producer on “A Few Good Men” (1992), a fitting recognition for a film that crackles with intelligence and moral urgency. Nominated for best picture, it didn’t win the top prize, but it didn’t need to. The film entered the bloodstream of American cinema and never left.
From that moment on, I was hooked.
Reiner’s career is one of the most quietly astonishing in modern Hollywood history. Not because he chased prestige — on the contrary, he chased truth across genres that rarely get that kind of respect.
“Stand by Me” (1986) remains one of the purest coming-of-age films ever made. It understands childhood not as nostalgia, but as a fragile, fleeting state of grace. “I never had any friends later on like the ones I had when I was twelve,” the film tells us. Neither did we.
STAND BY ME, Director Rob Reiner on set, 1986.
©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
The train bridge. The leeches. The way he captured River Phoenix, one of my all-time favorite actors — it’s all encapsulated in a film that meets you where you are and stays with you long after.
“The Princess Bride” (1987) created joy without irony. Romance without embarrassment. Humor without cruelty.
“Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya.”
What once struggled at the box office became a generational heirloom, passed down like a favorite bedtime story, reminding us that sincerity is not something to outgrow.
“When Harry Met Sally…” (1989) changed romantic comedies forever, proving they could be adult, literate and honest. Nora Ephron’s dialogue sings, and Reiner’s direction let it breathe. The fake orgasm at Katz’s Deli. The way the film builds to Harry’s New Year’s Eve confession. It showed the entire genre what was possible.
Reiner carried that belief into “The American President” (1995), offering a vision of leadership rooted in decency, eloquence and moral clarity. It was romantic, yes, but also aspirational, planting the seeds for what would later grow into “The West Wing.” It reminded us what politics could sound like when it aimed higher.
Reiner could terrify us too. “Misery” (1990) turned psychological horror into something intimate and unbearable, and Kathy Bates’ Oscar-winning performance remains one of the most indelible in Academy history.
And then there was “This Is Spinal Tap” (1984), a film so inventive it essentially created the mockumentary, forever changing the language of comedy. It goes to eleven, and it always will.
Before directing, Reiner became part of television history as Michael “Meathead” Stivic on “All in the Family,” earning two Emmy Awards and helping redefine what a sitcom could confront and contain. Later, he co-founded Castle Rock Entertainment, the company behind “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Seinfeld” and so many other landmarks of film and television.
What made Reiner special was never the trophies. It was his belief that comedy could carry heartbreak, that drama could still be funny, and that genre was not a limitation — it was an invitation. He trusted viewers to be smart, curious and open. He trusted all of us. Not many filmmakers do that.
So thank you for “A Few Good Men,” the film that started it all for me. Thank you for “Stand by Me,” “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally…” and “The American President.” Thank you for teaching us that love can be earnest, friendship can be eternal, and truth, no matter how uncomfortable, is worth fighting for.
Your light lives on in every rewatch, every line read aloud, every perfect moment you gave us. That is immortality. And that is what lasts.
Rest peacefully, Rob Reiner. We’ll love you forever.
Please read my colleague Peter Debruge’s beautiful tribute on Variety as well.
‘Sinners’ Turns the Town Red With SAG and Academy Power Plays
“Sinners” continued its high-profile awards-season rollout with back-to-back industry events targeting key voting bodies.
On Sunday, Dec. 14, Viola Davis moderated a SAG-AFTRA Foundation Q&A at the Meryl Streep Center for the Performing Arts, joined by actors Michael B. Jordan and Wunmi Mosaku, along with casting director Francine Maisler. The event drew a packed house of SAG-AFTRA members, underscoring the film’s strong appeal with actors as guild voting intensifies.
Earlier in the week, Austin Butler hosted a tastemaker screening at Soho House on Monday, Dec. 8, co-hosted by WME. The evening featured a Q&A moderated by Chris Columbus with director-writer-producer Ryan Coogler, Jordan and Maisler, with producer Zinzi Coogler also in attendance.
The room was filled exclusively with Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences members, signaling a targeted push as phase one Oscar voting heats up.
Baz Luhrmann, Michael Keaton and Edward Norton Host Star-Driven ‘Train Dreams’ Events
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 09: (L-R) Baz Luhrmann, Joel Edgerton, and Clint Bentley attend Netflix’s “Train Dreams” Baz Luhrmann Hosted Cocktail Reception at Chateau Marmont on December 09, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for Netflix)
Getty Images for Netflix
Joel Edgerton’s awards-season presence continues to build with two high-profile industry gatherings aimed squarely at guild and Academy voters.
On Tuesday, Nov. 9, Baz Luhrmann hosted an intimate reception in honor of Edgerton, whom he directed in “The Great Gatsby” (2012). The event drew a notable crowd that included Oscar nominees Edward Norton and Steven Yeun, in addition to Tobey Maguire, Phoebe Dynevor and Christina Hendricks.
Momentum carried through Thursday, Nov. 11, when Oscar nominee Michael Keaton (“Birdman”) hosted a screening and Q&A at CAA with Edgerton and the film’s director and co-writer Clint Bentley.
The event attracted a full room of AMPAS, along with major guild voters of WGA, DGA and PGA.
Peacock Celebrates ‘All Her Fault’ With Decision-Free Dinner at Chateau Marmont
ALL HER FAULT — Decision-Free Dinner — Pictured: (l-r) Shelley Zalis, Eve Rodsky, Dakota Fanning at the Chateau Marmont on December 10, 2025 — (Photo by: Todd Williamson/Peacock)
Todd Williamson/Peacock
Peacock and The Female Quotient marked the awards-season momentum of breakout TV hit “All Her Fault” with an intimate dinner on Wednesday, Dec. 10, at the Chateau Marmont.
The “decision-free” evening celebrated the series — Peacock’s biggest original launch to date — as it begins its early Emmy run for next year amid Golden Globe and Critics Choice nominations.
Hosted by pop culture critic and “Shut Up Evan” creator Evan Ross Katz, with Dakota Fanning serving as the night’s special guest, the gathering was designed as a rare pause for women accustomed to carrying the mental and emotional load of daily life. Every detail was handled, allowing guests to simply arrive, unwind and engage in discussion centered on the show’s themes of female resilience, empowerment and self-preservation.
The dinner brought together a cross-section of influential voices spanning advocacy, entertainment and pop culture, including Shelley Zalis, Eve Rodsky, Gabrielle Stone, Haley Melikian, Blakely Thornton, Hannah Pistoia, Anna Konkle, Cheri Oteri, Megan Stalter, Parvati Shallow and Renata Ribeiro.
Park Chan-wook and Paul Feig at the Los Angeles premiere of “No Other Choice,” with director Park Chan-wook
Jay L. Clendenin/for Neon
Neon Lights Up December With ‘No Other Choice’ L.A. Premiere With Park Chan-wook
Neon closed out Dec. 9 with a trio of high-profile events for its international slate.
The day began in Los Angeles with the red-carpet premiere of Park Chan-wook’s “No Other Choice” at the Academy Museum’s David Geffen Theater, continued with an intimate tastemaker screening for Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value,” and culminated with Neon’s annual holiday party in New York, drawing one of the season’s most eclectic guest lists.
At the Academy Museum, “No Other Choice” rolled out in full awards-season form, featuring a red carpet, screening, filmmaker Q&A and after-party. Director Park Chan-wook and star Lee Byung Hun led the evening, participating in a post-screening conversation that highlighted the film’s creative ambitions.
The premiere drew an impressive cross-section of industry figures, including director Paul Feig (pictured) with his wife Laurie Feig, Julie Delpy, Tatiana Maslany, Dan Stevens, Hideo Kojima, Omar Benson Miller, Janicza Bravo, Mimi Rogers and Daniel Scheinert.
Across town, Coach hosted an intimate screening and dinner celebrating global ambassador Elle Fanning and her latest film, “Sentimental Value,” at San Vicente Bungalows.
The celebrations extended to the East Coast with Neon’s holiday party at San Vicente West Village in New York, where filmmakers and talent from across the company’s slate gathered under one roof.
Attendees included Park Chan-wook, Lee Byung Hun, Elle Fanning and Kristen Stewart (pictured below), Joachim Trier, Stellan Skarsgard, Renate Reinsve, Alexander Skarsgard, Kristen Stewart, Wagner Moura, Oliver Laxe, Kleber Mendonça Filho, Clark Gregg, among others.
Jade Greene
Dwayne Johnson Set for ‘The Smashing Machine’ Conversation at SAG-AFTRA Foundation
Dwayne Johnson will headline an upcoming SAG-AFTRA Foundation screening and conversation for “The Smashing Machine” on Wednesday, Dec. 17, at the Meryl Streep Center for the Performing Arts.
The event will begin with a morning screening, followed by a moderated discussion by Clayton Davis, with Johnson exploring his performance and the film’s creative journey.
Hosted at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s flagship venue, the gathering is expected to draw a huge crowd from guild members as Johnson continues to expand his dramatic footprint and angle for Oscar recognition for his towering performance in Benny Safdie’s emotional drama.
Spotlight on the Sound of ‘Sirāt’ with Composer Kangding Ray and Sound Designer Laia Casanovas
As awards-season attention turns toward below-the-line artistry, a newly released clip highlighting the sound design of “Sirât” puts a spotlight on the film’s immersive sonic craftsmanship.
The showcase shows the collaborative work of composer Kangding Ray and sound designer Laia Casanovas, whose contributions have been central to the film’s sensory impact.
