Variety set to honor Dwayne Johnson and Teyana Taylor at the Palm Springs Film Festival

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - Dwayne Johnson and Teyana Taylor will be honored at Variety's Creative Impact Awards during the Palm Springs International Film Festival next month.

Johnson will receive the Creative Impact in Acting Award for his revelatory and transformative performance in Benny Safdie's “The Smashing Machine,” which has garnered him his first Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama.

“Dwayne Johnson is a revelation in ‘The Smashing Machine.’ His haunting and committed portrayal of MMA fighter Mark Kerr is a testament to his willingness to forgo vanity to tell a truly human story. We are thrilled to honor Dwayne with Variety’s Acting Award in Palm Springs,” said Ramin Setoodeh, copresident & co-editor-in-chief, Variety.

Taylor will receive the Creative Impact in Breakthrough Performance Award for her standout performance in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” which earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture.

“With her multilayered performance in ‘One Battle After Another,’ Teyana Taylor manages to do the
impossible: She stands out in one of the year’s best ensembles. Combined with her previous film roles in
‘A Thousand and One’ and ‘The Book of Clarence,’ Teyana has quickly established herself as a formidable
and fearless actress, and we can’t wait to see what she does next. We are delighted to honor her with
Variety’s Breakthrough Performance Award,” said Ramin Setoodeh, co-president & co-editor-in-chief,
Variety.

The awards will be given as part of Variety’s annual 10 Directors to Watch and Creative Impact Awards brunch on January 4.

Check Out: Variety to honor its ’10 Directors to Watch’ during Palm Springs Film Fest

The Palm Springs International Film Festival runs from January 2 to 12, 2026. Passes and tickets are currently on sale. For additional information visit https://www.psfilmfest.org/

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage of the Palm Springs International Film Festival.