Bono and The Edge, who penned the score for Julie Taymor's Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, were among the recipients of the 45th Kennedy Center Honors for lifetime artistic achievements, presented December 4 in Washington, D.C. The two artists were recognized as part of the Irish rock band U2, which also includes honorees Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr.
This year's recipients also included Grammy-winning soul, gospel, R&B, and pop icon Gladys Knight, who performed in concert at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre in summer 1984 in Gladys Knight & the Pips & Kashif; actor and filmmaker George Clooney; contemporary Christian and pop singer-songwriter Amy Grant; and Cuban-born American composer, conductor, and educator Tania Le贸n.
The 45th class of Kennedy Center Honorees were saluted on the Kennedy Center Opera House stage December 4 by leading performers from New York, Hollywood, and the arts capitals of the world. President Joseph Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff also attended the 45th Kennedy Center Honors.
Several theatre favorites also took part in the celebration, including Oscar winner Ariana DeBose and Tony nominee Anna Deavere Smith. Check out photos from the event below:
Alicia Hall Moran and Jason Moran at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Anna Deveare Smith at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Ariana DeBose at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
BeBe and CeCe Winans at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Big Bird at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Catherine Shepherd and Brandi Carlile at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Cloe Flower and Guest at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Eddie Vedder at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Herbie Hancock at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Hozier at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Jamala at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Josh Brubaker and Anna Sitar at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Kaitlan Collins at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Kalen Allen and Toree Weaver at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Karine Jean Pierre at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Katie Couric at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Amy Grant and Vince Gill at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
George Clooney and Amal Clooney at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Gladys Knight at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Tania Leon at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
U2 at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Loni Love at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Lt. Col. Yado Yakub and Margaret Brennan at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Matt Damon and Luciana Damon at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Peter Ellefson and Deborah F. Rutter at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Richard Kind at the 45h Kennedy Center Honors
Sacha Baron Cohen and Isla Fisher at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
Pete Buttigieg and Chasten Buttigieg at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors Photo by Scott Suchman
Sheryl Crow at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
The 45th Kennedy Center Honorees U2- Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton, The Edge, Bono, George Clooney, Tania Leon, Amy Grant, and Gladys Knight
The 45th Kennedy Center Honorees U2 - Larry Mullen Jr., Adam Clayton, The Edge, Bono, George Clooney, Tania Leon, Amy Grant, and Gladys Knight
The 45th Kennedy Center Honorees, President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff
The 45th Kennedy Center Honorees, President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff
The 45th Kennedy Center Honors Closing Cast
Former Kennedy Center Honorees - Chita Rivera, Herbie Hancock, Garth Brooks, LL Cool J, Big Bird, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Carmen de Lavallade
The grand finale of the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
The Howard University Gospel Choir at the 45th Kennedy Center Honors
The Honors Gala was recorded, and The 45th Annual Kennedy Center Honors will air December 28 at 8 PM ET on CBS and will be available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+.
The recipients are recognized for their contributions to American culture through the performing arts鈥攚hether in music, dance, theatre, opera, motion pictures, or television鈥攁nd are confirmed by the Executive Committee of the Center鈥檚 Board of Trustees.
This year鈥檚 honorees were chosen based on the recommendation of the
Kennedy Center鈥檚 Special Honors Advisory Committee, chaired by David
Bohnett and includes past Honors recipients and artists Julie Andrews,
Gloria Estefan, Herbie Hancock, Judith Jamison, Lionel Richie, and John
Williams as well as David M. Rubenstein, Deborah F. Rutter, Bryan Lourd,
Cappy McGarr, Shonda Rhimes, and Daryl Roth.
Last year's honorees included stage and screen star Bette Midler, operatic bass-baritone Justino D铆az; Motown founder, songwriter, producer, and director Berry Gordy; Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels; and singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.
Done+Dusted, the production company and producers of the Center鈥檚 Mark Twain Prize since 2018, executive produces the 45th annual Kennedy Center Honors.
