Stars converge in Palm Springs to celebrate year's best films, Emma Stone's career

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — Emma Stone reflected on her career highlights and Meryl Streep praised Billie Eilish and “Barbie” with saving the movie industry Thursday during one of the first stops of Hollywood’s awards season.

Stone, Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Cillian Murphy were among the A-listers who descended on the desert for the Palm Springs International Film Festival’s annual opening gala. Stars were in an upbeat, and generally grateful, mood at the gala after a tumultuous year for their industry that included two strikes and rapid changes to the theatrical and streaming landscape.

Stone, who snagged a best actress nomination for Sunday’s Golden Globes for her performance in “Poor Things,” accepted the career achievement award, which was presented by her co-stars Mark Ruffalo and Willem Dafoe.

“I’m grateful that I get to keep trying new things and for the opportunity to make choices when it comes to work because I know how rare and fleeting it can be to choose what you want to do or who you want to work with as an actor,” she said.