Steven Spielberg has made some of the most beloved films of all time, but on Thursday night, he insisted he couldn’t take the credit alone.
The director, 79, was honored at the 18th annual Museum of Modern Art Film Benefit, presented by Chanel, in New York City. The night brought out a long list of stars, from Tom Cruise to Bruce Springsteen.
Here’s what happened at one of Hollywood’s biggest nights in New York.
A Surprise Opening From Tom Cruise
Cruise, who made “Minority Report” and “War of the Worlds” with Spielberg, opened the evening with a surprise speech.
“Wow, Steven Spielberg. The very name evokes wonder, adventure, suspense, excitement,” Cruise said, according to CNN. He called working with the director “an absolute privilege,” The Hollywood Reporter said.
Tributes From Emily Blunt and Martin Scorsese
Emily Blunt, who starred in Spielberg’s 2026 hit “Disclosure Day,” joined Steve Martin, Martin Short and Martin Scorsese in a tribute to the filmmaker.
“Anyone who has worked with him will know that on the back of his director’s chair, it says dad,” Blunt said, according to W Magazine.
Scorsese called Spielberg “the epitome of the great picture maker,” while Spielberg returned the favor by calling Scorsese “the G.O.A.T of our entire generation,” The Hollywood Reporter reported.
Springsteen Closes the Night
Ariana DeBose sang “Somewhere” from Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” Stephen Colbert then introduced Bruce Springsteen, who closed the evening with an acoustic version of “Dancing in the Dark.”
Other guests included Robert De Niro, Cate Blanchett, Michelle Williams, Michelle Pfeiffer, Drew Barrymore, John Krasinski, Spike Lee, Zoe Saldaña, Christopher Walken, Jeff Goldblum and Spielberg’s wife, Kate Capshaw. The benefit supports MoMA’s film collection, including film preservation.
Spielberg: ‘Filmmaking Is Collaborating’
Accepting the honor, Spielberg shared the spotlight. “Standing alone up here feels wrong. Filmmaking is collaborating,” he said, according to the AP.
On the red carpet, he said he still feels the same excitement he did as a boy. “I still have the enthusiasm that I had when I was 12 years old making 8 mm movies.” This year, “Disclosure Day” opened at No. 1 with $44 million, his biggest opening ever for an original movie, according to USA Today.
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