The Gothams to Honor Tessa Thompson with 'The Spotlight Tribute' Award for HEDDA

For her performance in Amazon MGM Studios’ Hedda, Tessa Thompson will receive the Spotlight Tribute at the 35th Annual Gotham Film Awards Ceremony, taking place on Monday, December 1, 2025 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Thompson also serves as a producer on the film. 

“Tessa’s performance is both fearless and revelatory – an interpretation that deepens one of dramatic literature’s most complex characters and brings her into new focus for the audience that we represent here at The Gothams,” said Jeffrey Sharp, Executive Director of The Gotham Film & Media Institute. “We are thrilled to honor Tessa with the Spotlight Tribute and celebrate her extraordinary work in bringing Hedda to life with such depth and nuance. Throughout her remarkable career, she has remained committed to bold, transformative storytelling.”

A new reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s classic play, Hedda follows enigmatic newlywed Hedda (Thompson), who is outwardly composed but hiding a simmering discontent that threatens to explode when the brilliant and charismatic Eileen Lovborg (Nina Hoss) reenters her life. Over the course of a raucous party, the high and low of society endure the consequences of this dangerous and unknowable woman yearning for a past love. What ensues is a ruthless game of manipulation, where lust, jealousy, and betrayal collide. Written and directed by Nia DaCosta, Hedda is a daring exploration of power, desire, and a woman’s refusal to be confined.

Hedda, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, will have a theatrical release from Amazon MGM Studios on October 22 before streaming on Amazon Prime Video on October 29. The film was produced by Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Gabrielle Nadig, Nia DaCosta, and Tessa Thompson, and also stars Nina Hoss, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, and Nicholas Pinnock.

In the original play, Hedda Gabler, the daughter of a general, arrives home from her honeymoon already bored and filled with contempt for her husband and the respectable life he represents. When the reappearance of an old flame threatens both her husband’s career prospects and her stability, Hedda contrives to manipulate everyone in her orbit, becoming the architect of her own destruction. 

Thompson’s recent film work includes The Listener, her Gotham Award-nominated turn in Passing, and Sylvie’s Love. She is also widely known for her roles as Valkyrie in the Thor franchise and as Bianca in the Creed trilogy. Her additional credits include Westworld, Annihilation, Dear White People, For Colored Girls, Furlough, Lady and the Tramp, Little Woods, Make it Happen, Men in Black: International, Mississippi Damned, Periphery, Red & Blue Marbles, Selma, Sorry to Bother You, The Human Contract, War on Everyone, and When a Stranger Calls. Upcoming, Thompson stars in Netflix’s limited series His & Hers, a dramatic thriller based on the book by author Alice Feeney, in which Thompson also executive produces under her production company banner Viva Maude, premiering in January 2026.

The Spotlight Tribute was presented last year to Zendaya for her performance in Challengers. It was previously announced that Frankenstein will receive The Gotham Vanguard Tribute and the cast of Sinners will receive the Ensemble Tribute at the 35th Annual Gotham Film Awards.

Winners of the 35th Annual Gotham Film Awards will be honored at the awards ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street on Monday, December 1, 2025. 

About the Gotham Film & Media Institute

The Gotham celebrates and nurtures independent film and media creators, providing career-building resources, access to industry influencers, and pathways to wider recognition. The organization, under the leadership of Executive Director and award-winning producer Jeffrey Sharp, fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Gotham Week, the Gotham Film & Television Awards, Gotham EDU, Owning It, Expanding Communities, and Filmmaker Magazine.

About The Gothams

As the earliest honors of their respective seasons, The Gotham Film Awards and The Gotham Television Awards recognize both emerging and established creators and performances. By celebrating bold, original storytelling that shapes the cultural landscape—whether in independent works that push artistic boundaries or commercial entertainment that connects with the broadest audiences—these awards further the mission of The Gotham Film & Media Institute’s year-round programming.

Photo courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios