Newport Beach TV Fest: ‘White Lotus’ Star Sam Rockwell Set for TV Supporting Performance of the Year Award, Live ‘Awards Chatter’ Podcast

Sam Rockwell, the Oscar-winning actor who is currently in Emmy contention for his off-the-wall performance in the third installment of Mike White’s HBO/Max drama series The White Lotus, has been tapped for the TV Supporting Performance of the Year Award (Actor) at the inaugural Newport Beach TV Fest, the fest announced Wednesday.

The award will be presented to Rockwell immediately following a live recording of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast — moderated by yours truly and featuring a career-retrospective conversation — which will kick off at 6 p.m. on Sunday, June 8, at Newport Beach’s Lido Theater.

“The Newport Beach TV Fest is proud to honor Sam Rockwell for his electrifying work in The White Lotus,” Gregg Schwenk, CEO and executive director of the fest, said in a statement. “Like all viewers, we were captivated by Sam’s surprise appearance in the show, as his ability to inhabit every role with authenticity and intensity sets him apart as a true master of the craft. We are thrilled to celebrate his artistry at our inaugural TV Fest.”

Rockwell, 56, is widely regarded as one of the most talented and versatile actors of his generation. He is best known for his performance in Martin McDonagh’s 2017 film dramedy Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, for which he won Academy, BAFTA, Critics Choice, Golden Globe, Spirit and SAG awards. His other standout credits include the films Box of Moonlight (1996), The Green Mile (1999), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Snow Angels (2007), Choke (2008), Frost/Nixon (2008), The Winning Season (2009), Moon (2009), Conviction (2010), Iron Man 2 (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), The Way Way Back (2013), Vice (2018), Jojo Rabbit (2019) and Richard Jewell (2019).

In the third season of The White Lotus, Rockwell made an unannounced — and unforgettable — surprise appearance in the fifth episode, delivering a scene-stealing monologue. He then appeared in each of the remaining episodes, including the season finale, which attracted 6.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched episode in the show’s history. And he is now regarded as a frontrunner to land a best supporting actor in a drama series Emmy nomination. (He was previously Emmy-nominated in 2019, both for producing and starring in the FX limited series Fosse/Verdon.)

The Newport Beach TV Fest, an offshoot of the Newport Beach Film Festival, will be a four-day celebration of television artistry. Running Thursday, June 5 through Sunday, June 8, it will feature screenings and events celebrating both established and emerging talent. Previously announced honorees include Nobody Wants This star Adam Brody, Running Point star Kate Hudson and Shrinking star Jason Segel. Tickets are available for purchase at nbtvfest.com.