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Joy Awards Honors Stars from Around the World

Syrian singer Assala. Riyadh Season
Syrian singer Assala. Riyadh Season
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Joy Awards Honors Stars from Around the World

Syrian singer Assala. Riyadh Season
Syrian singer Assala. Riyadh Season

It was a dreamy night on which art and artists were honored in Riyadh, the capital of arts and creativity. In the 3rd edition of Joy Awards, the largest event of its kind in the region, the Saudi General Entertainment Authority celebrated stars from the Arab region and the globe, and gathered esteemed figures from the worlds of cinema, TV, and sports under one roof.

Organized by the Entertainment Authority during the Riyadh Season every year, the Joy Awards is one of the most prominent awards in the region, and an opportunity which artists take to meet, connect, talk, and exchange expertise, as well as a destination for esteemed figures to explore the kingdom and discover the young Saudi talents.

The event celebrates artists and creatives in different industries with 15 various awards and many honorary ones that appreciate the journeys of exceptional figures in the world of art.

The honorary awards

As an appreciation of their works over the past years, the Entertainment Authority honored a number of prominent names in different fields. Indian legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan, one of Bollywood’s greatest stars. Among those who received the honorary awards was also Mel Gibson, one of the world’s best actors and winner of two Oscars.

Colombian-American actress Sofia Vergara was honored as Personality of the Year for all her works, including her famed series ‘Modern Family’, which gained a remarkable audience in the Arab region and the Middle East. The Joy Awards also honored Kuwaiti esteemed actresses Souad Abdullah and Hayat Al Fahad for their decades-long journey as two of the most prominent TV symbols in the Gulf and the Arab region.

The honorary awards also went to Egyptian cinema couple, Ahmed Helmy and Mona Zaki, US director Michael Bay, Saudi singer Rashed Al Majid, Kuwaiti singer Nawal, Spanish actress Esther Acebo, Waleed bin Ibrahim Al Ibrahim, chairman of MBC Group for his efforts in media and constant support of art, and Rotana CEO Salem Alhendi.

A night to appreciate local talents

Saudi artists had the biggest share of the awards in all categories. Ibrahim Al Hajjaj won Favorite Actor for his exceptional work on the Saudi drama ‘Minho Waladna?’; Ahmad Al Shugairi won Favorite Influencer; Jori Kattan won her first award, the New Voice Award, which she received with teary eyes. Abdul Majeed Abdullah won the Most Favorite Male Artist for his exceptional 50-year journey and many great albums that pleased the Arabic audience; and the Female Athlete of the Year Award went to Saudi swimmer Mariam bin Laden.

Awards for all Arabs

Many Arab artists were also honored in the Joy Awards evening including stars Ahmed Ezz and Hend Sabri with the Favorite Actor and Actress trophies for their roles in the film “Kira & El Gin”.

Star Nadine Nassib Njeim also picked up the Favorite Actress Award for her role in “Salon Zahra”; Syrian singer Assala won the Favorite Song Award for her song “Shokran”; and Lebanese influencer, Abir el-Saghir won the Favorite Female Influencer.

Salon Zahra, directed by Joe Bou Eid, won the prestigious Favorite TV Series Award; Egyptian singer Angham was honored with the Favorite Singer Award; and Moroccan player Achraf Hakimi was awarded Best Sportsman which he received with his mother.

Tribute to those who left

In a heart-warming gesture, the Entertainment Authority honored many prominent figures who passed away in 2022 including Algerian director and scriptwriter Yamina Bachir; former Kuwaiti media minister Mohammed Al-Sanousi; Egyptian sports commentator Ibrahim Hegazy; Qatari footballer Ahmed al-Malla; esteemed Lebanese actor Pierre Chamoun; and Egyptian actress Aida Abdel Aziz; in addition to Egyptian chef Osama el-Sayed; Saudi TV host Ghaleb Kamel; Saudi actor and director Ali el-Huyerini; Kuwaiti actor Ghanem al-Hamadi; Kuwaiti singer Suleiman al-Malla; Egyptian actress Rajaa Hussein; Saudi actor Khaled Sami; Kuwaiti actor Jassem Abbas; and Lebanese actor Joseph Abboud. The authority also paid tribute to Syrian singer Dhiab Mashhour; Moroccan comedian Noureddine Bikr; Lebanese singer George Rassi; Egyptian cinema producer Mohsen Alamuddin; Egyptian director Ali Abdel-Khalek; Syrian actress Antoinette Najeeb; and Egyptian director Galal el-Sharkawy.

Concluding keynote…Artists from Syria

Turki Al Al-Sheikh, chairman of the Saudi Entertainment Authority, addressed the concluding keynote, in which he thanked the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Mohammed bin Salman for their massive support to the kingdom’s entertainment industry which has witnessed a continuous progress.

Al-Sheikh congratulated the winners, and highlighted the importance of the winning and loosing culture, noting that everyone should be happy for the honoring of their colleagues. He also said he is happy to see Syria’s artists, noting that the Arabic audiences have missed the Syrian drama, the all-time favorite on Arabic TV screens.

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Entertainment

Darth Vader’s Light Saber Used in ‘I Am Your Father’ Duel Sells for Nearly $5 Million

This image released by Heritage Auctions shows a lightsaber used by the character Darth Vader in the film "The Empire Strikes Back." (Heritage Auctions via AP)
This image released by Heritage Auctions shows a lightsaber used by the character Darth Vader in the film "The Empire Strikes Back." (Heritage Auctions via AP)
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Darth Vader’s Light Saber Used in ‘I Am Your Father’ Duel Sells for Nearly $5 Million

This image released by Heritage Auctions shows a lightsaber used by the character Darth Vader in the film "The Empire Strikes Back." (Heritage Auctions via AP)
This image released by Heritage Auctions shows a lightsaber used by the character Darth Vader in the film "The Empire Strikes Back." (Heritage Auctions via AP)

A light saber used by Darth Vader in the “Star Wars” movies “The Empire Strikes Back” and ”Return of the Jedi" sold Thursday for nearly $5 million in an auction.

The light saber, which was used in the climactic duel in Cloud City where Vader tells Luke Skywalker “I am your father,” sold for $4.875 million at the Ultimate Star Wars Auction held by Heritage Auctions.

The sale marks a world auction record for any “Star Wars” collectible, according to Heritage Auctions.

The sale also established a new auction record for a screen-used “Star Wars” prop, according to the auction organizer, shooting past their $3.75 million July auction sale of Skywalker’s light saber and severed hand-effects rig from “The Empire Strikes Back."

Heritage's Thursday auction also featured material from “Star Wars” Episodes I through IX and additional films and TV shows.

In addition to Vader's light saber, 27 other “Star Wars” light sabers were assembled for public auction, according to Heritage Auctions.

Entertainment

Rosalia Wins Big at Latin Grammys for ‘Lux’

Spanish singer Rosalia poses in the press room after she won Album of the Year for "Lux", Song of the Year for "La Perla", Best Pop Song, Best Short Form Music Video and Best Alternative Music Album during the 27h Annual Latin Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
Spanish singer Rosalia poses in the press room after she won Album of the Year for "Lux", Song of the Year for "La Perla", Best Pop Song, Best Short Form Music Video and Best Alternative Music Album during the 27h Annual Latin Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
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Rosalia Wins Big at Latin Grammys for ‘Lux’

Spanish singer Rosalia poses in the press room after she won Album of the Year for "Lux", Song of the Year for "La Perla", Best Pop Song, Best Short Form Music Video and Best Alternative Music Album during the 27h Annual Latin Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
Spanish singer Rosalia poses in the press room after she won Album of the Year for "Lux", Song of the Year for "La Perla", Best Pop Song, Best Short Form Music Video and Best Alternative Music Album during the 27h Annual Latin Grammy Awards at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on November 12, 2026. (AFP)

Rosalia took home the coveted Latin Grammy for Album of the Year on Thursday, winning for her sweeping, avant-garde classical pop album "Lux (Complete Works)" at the gala celebrating the best in Spanish- and Portuguese-language music.

The Spanish superstar also took home the Song of the Year prize, which celebrates songwriting, for "La Perla." Argentine Milo J pulled an upset to take home Record of the Year for "Nino," beating the likes of Karol G and Mon Laferte at the 27th annual awards ceremony in Las Vegas.

Rosalia, who opened the show with an ethereal performance blending songs off her acclaimed album, entered the night as among the favorites to win big.

"To all the people who told me I wasn't good enough, or that my music was too weird, I'm thankful I didn't listen to a damn word," she said onstage.

"Now I'm winning these prizes," Rosalia added to applause.

It was her third Latin Grammy for Album of the Year, following "Motomami" in 2022 and "El Mal Querer" in 2019.

Critical buzz for "Lux" also has Rosalia tipped as a top contender for major Grammy nominations, which are due to be announced next week.

Milo J's win came as a surprise for the 20-year-old roots rapper who infuses folkloric elements into his music.

He said he considers "Nino" the song "I'm most proud of out of everything I've created so far."

"Long live Argentine folk music!"

Argentine duo Ca7RIEL & Paco Amoroso notched three wins. Karol G -- who delivered a theatrical performance alongside a mariachi band -- scored two, including for best musica urbana album.

Fellow Colombian artist Aria Vega meanwhile won the prize for Best New Artist, a distinction that in years past gave a leg up to the careers of talents including Juanes, Calle 13 and Karol G herself.

- Generation-defining artist Daddy Yankee -

The evening also saw a constellation of stars spanning the genres descend on Vegas to celebrate Puerto Rican reggaeton legend Daddy Yankee, who was honored with the Person of the Year award.

The star appeared elated as Janet Jackson presented him with the prize -- the two previously worked together on 2018's "Made For Now."

"It takes vision and courage to help change the sound of music, and to create new possibilities for artists who come after you. Daddy Yankee did just that," Jackson said, before offering a few words in Spanish.

"Tu musica ha inspirado a toda una generacion," she said -- "your music has inspired an entire generation."

Daddy Yankee was a major force in globalizing reggaeton -- a wildly popular genre that blends Latin and Caribbean rhythms with US hip hop and Jamaican dancehall, which was once censored in his native Puerto Rico.

Shortly before accepting the lifetime achievement award, the artist delivered an electric line-up of his hits including "Con Calma" and "Gasolina," appearing onstage with a massive Puerto Rican flag.

He was joined by artists including LL Cool J, French Montana, Bad Gyal, and Bizarrap.

Another moving moment of the evening came as stars belted out salsa anthems in tribute to Willie Colon, the luminary of New York salsa who died in February.

The night's winners also included Edgar Barrera, who won Producer of the Year, and the Brazilian artist Anitta, who took home the Latin Grammy for best Portuguese language contemporary pop album.

Entertainment

Spielberg Says He Has the Same Enthusiasm as He Did Making 8 mm Movies as a Boy

(L/R) US actor Robert De Niro, US filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese attend the 18th Annual Film Benefit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
(L/R) US actor Robert De Niro, US filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese attend the 18th Annual Film Benefit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
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Spielberg Says He Has the Same Enthusiasm as He Did Making 8 mm Movies as a Boy

(L/R) US actor Robert De Niro, US filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese attend the 18th Annual Film Benefit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, on November 12, 2026. (AFP)
(L/R) US actor Robert De Niro, US filmmakers Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese attend the 18th Annual Film Benefit at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, on November 12, 2026. (AFP)

Decades of success haven’t dulled Steven Spielberg's appetite for filmmaking. The excitement that first drew him to the camera is still very much alive.

Before being honored at the Museum of Modern Art’s film benefit, Spielberg looked back on his journey from an ambitious young filmmaker to one of Hollywood’s most admired directors.

“I still have the enthusiasm that I had when I was 12 years old making 8 mm movies, little Westerns at home. That has never gotten old. I’ve gotten older, but that hasn’t gotten old,” Spielberg told The Associated Press at Thursday’s gala.

Though Spielberg has received virtually every major honor in filmmaking, from Academy Awards to industry tributes, recognition from MoMA holds particular significance.

“The Museum of Modern Art was one of the first museums ever to recognize film back in the mid-’30s as an art form. Not just as a concession or some kind of a technological concoction, but a real art form,” Spielberg said on the black carpet.

One of the most successful and influential directors in film history, Spielberg has made more than 35 feature films. His work spans fantasy, science fiction, and historical dramas, along with deeply human stories that explore the world around us.

From “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” to “Jaws,” “Jurassic Park” and the “Indiana Jones” series, he has taken audiences to extraordinary places. He has also turned to history and human conflict in films such as “Saving Private Ryan” and “Schindler’s List.” The latter won three Oscars in 1994, including best director for Spielberg.

Spielberg rarely goes looking for a specific genre. More often, he says, the stories find him, sometimes arriving out of nowhere.

“Often the movies that I wind up directing are the films that sneak up on me from behind, like an idea, like ‘E.T.’ which just came out of the blue one day,” he said.

The 1982 film, about a boy who befriends a stranded alien, became a sensation and one of the most beloved films of its era. It also became one of Spielberg’s signature works.

That instinct to follow an idea wherever it leads speaks to the curiosity that continues to drive his work and his reluctance to repeat himself.

“I’m a bit like a chameleon. I kind of take the shape of the environment that I’m standing in front of. And so my favorite directors are the directors who were able to come out of a hole each time, a different hole each time, and didn’t make the same movie in the same style again and again and again,” he said.

Celebrity guests included Robert De Niro, Michelle Williams, Drew Barrymore, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. Spielberg’s longtime friend Martin Scorsese was also there to celebrate the director. On a rainy New York Evening, Spielberg made his way to the entrance to greet Scorsese with a warm embrace when he arrived.

The evening opened with a surprise appearance by Tom Cruise, followed by a special tribute featuring Emily Blunt, Steve Martin and Martin Scorsese. Oscar winner Ariana DeBose performed “Somewhere” from “West Side Story.” Bruce Springsteen also performed an acoustic version of “Dancing in the Dark.”

The annual benefit raises funds for MoMA’s film collection, supporting the preservation and acquisition of important works of cinema, as well as the museum’s film exhibits. Chanel has sponsored the event since 2011.

In his acceptance speech, Spielberg reflected on the collaborative nature of the medium and people who have shared in his journey.

“Standing alone up here feels wrong. Filmmaking is collaborating. And when I get singled out on a night like this it reminds me that I have never stood alone,” he said.