Denzel Washington receives surprise honorary Palme d'Or at Cannes premiere for 'Highest 2 Lowest'

CANNES, France (AP) — Denzel Washington sandwiched a whirlwind trip to the Cannes Film Festival, in between Broadway performances, for the premiere of Spike Lee's “Highest 2 Lowest” on Monday — and was rewarded with a surprise: an honorary Palme d'Or.

Cannes had flipped around some of its scheduling to accommodate Washington's speedy France trip, which came on his lone off-day while performing “Othello” in New York. Cannes Film Festival chief Thierry Frémaux surprised Washington with the award before the Monday night premiere.

“This is my brother, right here,” said the film’s director, Spike Lee, who passed the award to Washington.

“This is a total surprise for me,” said Washington.

The festival usually gives out one or two honorary Palmes each edition — last year, the awardees were Studio Ghibli and George Lucas. Last week, Robert De Niro received one on the festival's opening night. De Niro's award was announced in advance, but surprise prizes aren't unheard of: In 2022, Tom Cruise was presented with a surprise honorary Palme d'Or just before the screening of “Top Gun: Maverick.”

The premiere also had another surprise: Rihanna attended and walked the carpet afterward with partner A$AP Rocky. Earlier this month, she revealed at the Met Gala that she was pregnant with their third child.

While the festival's photo calls usually happen the day after a film's premiere, Cannes hosted one for “Highest 2 Lowest” earlier Monday so Washington could attend. The actor, playfully posing with Lee and co-star A$AP Rocky, showed no signs of jet lag and left once the screening began.

“He told me to tell you: Thank you for the love,” Lee told the crowd after the screening. “He's on Broadway doing ‘Othello,’ so it really took a lot for him to fly here. Let's give it up for Denzel Washington, please.”

Lee also came to Cannes with obligations back in New York on his mind. He arrived at the film’s premiere decked out in Knicks colors and wearing a blue and orange striped suit. Lee ended his brief speech in the Palais by hollering: “New York Knicks!”

That Washington would be able to make the trip had been a sticking point for Cannes. When the festival first announced its lineup last month, “Highest 2 Lowest” wasn't included. Within hours, however, Lee himself announced the film was heading to Cannes. Representatives for the festival said they had been waiting for confirmation that Washington would attend to walk the red carpet.

“Highest 2 Lowest,” a remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1963 film “High and Low,” will be released in theaters by A24 on Aug. 22 before streaming on Apple TV+ on Sept. 5.

Rihanna, left, and A$AP Rocky pose for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

A$AP Rocky, left, and Rihanna pose for photographers upon departure from the premiere of the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

Denzel Washington poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

Denzel Washington, left, poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Director Spike Lee poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Director Spike Lee poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

A$AP Rocky poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Joel C Ryan/Invision/AP)

Director Spike Lee, from left, A$AP Rocky and Denzel Washington pose for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Denzel Washington, from left, Jeffrey Wright, Ilfenesh Hadera, director Spike Lee and A$AP Rocky pose for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

Director Spike Lee poses for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Lewis Joly/Invision/AP)

A$AP Rocky, left, and director Spike Lee pose for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Director Spike Lee, left, and Denzel Washington pose for photographers at the photo call for the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

Director Spike Lee, left, and Denzel Washington pose for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Highest 2 Lowest' at the 78th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Monday, May 19, 2025. (Photo by Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Philip Rivers has made the postgame walk to answer tough questions dozens of times over his previous 17 NFL seasons.

This time seemed different.

With the Indianapolis Colts having been eliminated from the postseason for a fifth consecutive year even before Rivers and his teammates took the field Sunday, the 44-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist knows he may have taken his last snap.

“It’s been an absolute blast for three weeks and if I go back now and said, ‘All right, now you know everything that’s going to happen, what are you going to do? I’d do it all again,’” Rivers said after the Colts lost 23-17 to Jacksonville. “So, yeah, if it’s the last one, it’s the last one. I thought the last one was walking off the field in Buffalo (in January 2021), walking up that tunnel and I was fine with that. I had tears those few days after that and I was at peace with that being the last one. So, certainly, if it is (the last one), I got three more bonus games that I never saw coming.”

Rivers provided two elements the Colts (8-8) needed when they brought him out of a five-year retirement. His passion energized the locker room after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending torn Achilles tendon, and he gave the Colts a chance to pull themselves out of a historic second-half swoon in which they became just the sixth team since 1970 — and the first in 30 years — to start 7-1 and miss the playoffs.

But Rivers has lost all three of his starts, with the Colts' overall skid now at six games.

His late interception at Seattle ended the Colts' bid for a miracle rally. And an interception Sunday on a tipped ball allowed the Jags (12-4) to kick the tiebreaking field goal with 6:58 to play.

While Rivers took accountability for both miscues with his typical down-home demeanor, he knows he's not the face of the Colts' future.

So with one meaningless game remaining next weekend at Houston, the Colts could give Rivers one more start, but it might make sense for them to take a look at Anthony Richardson — the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2023 — or rookie Riley Leonard. Richardson has not been activated from the injured reserve list but has started practicing.

“I'll figure that out Tuesday,” coach Shane Steichen said.

If Rivers' career is over, again, five years after he left the first time, he has no regrets.

He rented a place in Indianapolis, moved his entire family back to Indy for the final month of the season and brought dozens of players from St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama — where he's the head coach — to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch his home finale.

In career start No. 423, Rivers surpassed Hall of Famer Warren Moon as the fourth-oldest quarterback to start in the NFL. Rivers played at 44 years, 20 days; Moon was 44 years and eight days.

If he makes start No. 424, Rivers would pass Vinny Testaverde — 44 years and 26 days — as the third oldest, trailing only Steve DeBerg and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

Rivers ranks sixth in league history in TD passes with 425 and is eighth on the career yards passing list with 63,984 — just behind Matthew Stafford and 105 yards away from moving past two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger.

Rivers knows he may not get that chance.

“I’m going to be on board and supportive of whatever the organization, Shane and whoever, however that decision is going to come to be,” Rivers said. “I’m sure I’ll have some conversation. It won’t just be a blind-side Tuesday conversation for me. And I’m going to be on board to do what’s best for the guys.”

AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers jogs off the field following an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens (14) talks with Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) following an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) watches from the sideline during the second half of an NFL football game against the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers (17) throws under pressure from Jacksonville Jaguars safety Eric Murray (29) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)