Bruce Dern, Susan Sarandon honored at AARP’s Movies for Grownups Gala

The event: Bruce Dern called Monday’s shindig “the geezers’ dinner” as he accepted his best actor award for “Nebraska” at the Movies for Grownups Awards Gala, staged by AARP. Nevertheless, stars packed the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, regardless of their generation, to celebrate movies relevant to mature audiences.

The honorees: Besides, Dern’s award, Susan Sarandon picked up a lifetime achievement award, while director Steve McQueen took home the best movie for grownups award for “12 Years a Slave.”

Awards also went to best screenwriters Julie Delpy, Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater for “Before Midnight;” best director Alfonso Cuaron for “Gravity;” best buddy picture director Jon Turteltaub for “Last Vegas;” best grownup love story director Nicole Holofcene for “Enough Said;” best comedy for writer/directors Nat Faxon and Jim Rash for “The Way Way Back;” best actors in an intergenerational movie Dern and Will Forte for “Nebraska;” best documentary for director Morgan Neville for “20 Feet From Stardom;” reader’s choice award for director Lee Daniels for “The Butler”; and breakthrough accomplishment for Mary Steenburgen as a singer in “Last Vegas.” The real Philomena Lee accepted the best actress award for Judi Dench in “Philomena.”

More VIPs: Kathy Griffin was the night’s host, and A-list presenters included Lupita Nyong’o, Melissa McCarthy, Winona Ryder, Diane Lane, June Squibb, Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener, Morgan Freeman, singers Merry Clayton and Tata Vega of “20 Feet From Stardom,” “Gravity” producer David Heyman, Solomon Northup descendant Evelyn Jackson and Naomi Watts of last year’s “The Impossible.”

Also among attendees were Ted Danson, Frances Fisher, George Takei, Larry King, Jane Seymour, Michael Nouri and Judy Smith (the inspiration for Olivia Pope of “Scandal”). Bob Love and Lisa Marsh Ryerson represented AARP, which helps improve the quality of life for people 50 and older. The evening benefited the AARP Foundation.

Quotes of note: “Actually when I started with ‘Gravity,’ I was not eligible to be part of AARP. That is the reason why it took so long,” quipped Cuaron, who then expressed gratitude to all those who saw the film and connected with its theme of adversity, adding, ”Adversity is something that is constant in our lives and the outcome of that adversity is what shapes who we are.”

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Ellen Olivier is founder of Society News L.A.