Odessa A’zion and Connor Swindells Receive the 2026 Trophée Chopard Under the Mentorship of Isabelle Huppert

Since its creation in 2001 by Caroline Scheufele, Co‑President and Artistic Director of the Maison, the Trophée Chopard has been presented annually at the Cannes Film Festival to celebrate the vitality and promise of international cinema. Awarded each year to one actress and one actor, the prize has become a recognised marker of emerging excellence in cinema. The laureates are selected by the Académie du Trophée Chopard, reflecting the Maison’s commitment to the transmission of artistic values.  

For this new edition, Caroline Scheufele is honoured to welcome Isabelle Huppert as Godmother. An internationally acclaimed actress, Isabelle Huppert embodies artistic freedom, intellectual rigour and fearless creativity. She will present laureates Odessa A’zion and Connor Swindells with the prestigious prizes. The ceremony will take place at Carlton Beach on 15 May 2026, during an official dinner of the Cannes Film Festival, in the presence of Iris Knobloch, President of the Festival de Cannes, and Thierry Frémaux, General Delegate, who will co-host the evening alongside Caroline Scheufele, before an audience of actors, cinema professionals and creators. 

Isabelle Huppert, an uncompromising figure of world cinema 

Isabelle Huppert has built an extraordinary body of work that traverses auteur cinema, major international productions and the theatre stage. A two-time Best Actress award winner at the Cannes Film Festival — for Violette Nozière (1978) and The Piano Teacher (2001) — she is also a César, Golden Globe and BAFTA laureate, and has been nominated for an Academy Award. Her collaborations with some of the most influential directors in cinema history, including Claude Chabrol, Michael Haneke, Jean-Luc Godard, Paul Verhoeven and Hong Sang-soo, have cemented her reputation as an actress of rare intelligence and daring. Beyond the screen, she maintains an equally formidable presence on stage, performing worldwide in ambitious productions under the direction of leading theatre figure such as Bob Wilson, Romeo Castellucci and Ivo van Hove. 

“Isabelle Huppert has been a longtime friend of the Maison, and our bond is rooted in a deep artistic affinity”, said Caroline Scheufele. “Her role as Godmother of the Trophée Chopard felt entirely natural to me, as we share the same belief in transmission, and the importance of championing emerging talent.” 

Isabelle Huppert added: “I am thrilled to be Godmother of the Trophée Chopard. This award honours that fragile, exhilarating moment when a career is still being shaped — a time of intuition, courage and freedom. Supporting emerging actors means supporting the future of cinema itself.” 

This year’s laureates: Odessa A’zion and Connor Swindells  

Each year, the Trophée Chopard honours one actress and one actor whose work signals exceptional promise on the international cinematic stage. The laureates are selected by the Académie du Trophée Chopard, a collective of recognised figures from the world of cinema whose expertise, sensitivity and commitment to artistic transmission guide the choice. Through its deliberations, the Academy upholds the spirit of the prize, identifying talents whose originality, integrity and creative potential embody the future of cinema. 

In 2026, the female laureate is Odessa A’zion, an American actress rapidly establishing herself as a compelling presence on screen. Most recently, she starred in Marty Supreme alongside Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Tyler, The Creator. Her portrayal of Rachel Mizler earned Actor Award and BAFTA nominations, with Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and Deadline singling out her performance. Odessa A’zion is also a series regular in Rachel Sennott’ series I Love LA, with her role as Tallulah earning a Gotham Television Award nomination. She recently voiced Nikki Baxter in Netflix’s animated series Stranger Things: Tales from ’85. Upcoming projects include Cody Fern’s Mother Courage, opposite Naomi Watts and Sarah Paulson, and Justine Triet’s Fonda. Previous credits include Sitting in Bars with Cake, Fresh Kills, Grand Army, Hellraiser, and She Rides Shotgun, earning acclaim for both her dramatic range and magnetic screen presence. 

The male laureate is British actor Connor Swindells, recognised for his steadily expanding body of work across film and television. He rose to international prominence with his breakout role as Adam Groff in Netflix’s global phenomenon Sex Education, where he was a main cast member for all four seasons, earning widespread critical acclaim. Connor Swindells has since built a diverse filmography spanning period drama, contemporary cinema, and large-scale productions, including Emma, The Vanishing, Steven Knight’s SAS Rogue Heroes, William Tell, and Greta Gerwig’s global box-office success Barbie. He will next appear in Ruben Östlund’s The Entertainment System Is Down, opposite Keanu Reeves and Kirsten Dunst, as well as Kayleigh Llewellyn’s The Dreamlands. His television credits also include Netflix and the BBC’s Lockerbie as well as Scoop, directed by Phillip Martin. Connor Swindells was longlisted for a BIFA for Most Promising Newcomer and named one of Screen International’s Stars of Tomorrow. 

“The Trophée Chopard means a great deal to me. It’s not just recognition, but a reminder of the people and moments that have shaped my career so far. To receive it at the Cannes Film Festival, a place where cinema is so deeply celebrated, makes it feel even more special. It’s something I’ll carry with me as I continue to grow and keep chasing the kind of work I believe in”, said Connor Swindells. 

The Trophée Chopard: a legacy of rising stars 

Over the years, the Trophée Chopard has distinguished itself for its prescience. Many of its laureates have since become leading figures of contemporary cinema. Among them are Jessie Buckley, Adèle Exarchopoulos, Marion Cotillard, Naomi Ackie, Tang Wei, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Mike Faist, Joe Alwyn, and Gael García Bernal. Several former recipients, including Marion Cotillard and Diane Kruger, have later returned to Cannes as Godmothers themselves, perpetuating a virtuous circle of artistic recognition. 

Designed by Caroline Scheufele and crafted by Chopard’s jewellery artisans, the trophy itself is a singular creation, bearing the same creative vision as the Palme d’or and all awards presented during the Cannes Film Festival closing ceremony.