Colin Firth and Natalie Portman To Receive Awards At Palm Springs Gala

Colin Firth and Natalie Portman will receive the Desert Palm Achievement Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival in January, it was announced today.

“We are honoring two of the finest actors to grace the screen, both of whom deliver Oscar-quality performances in their most recent films,” said Harold Matzner, the festival’s chairman.

Firth is being recognized for his role as King George VI in “The King’s Speech,” and Portman for her portrayal of an obsessed ballerina in “Black Swan.”

The awards will be presented to Portman and Firth at the festival’s Jan. 8 gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

Past recipients of the award include Jeff Bridges, Anne Hathaway, Sean Penn, Halle Berry, Jake Gyllenhaal, Marion Cotillard, Nicolas Cage, Charlize Theron, John Travolta and Kate Winslet.