George Clooney and U2 honored by the Kennedy Center in Washington

George Clooney and the Irish rock group U2 are among the personalities who receive the honors of the Kennedy Center, the most prestigious cultural award in Washington, on Sunday, in the presence of Joe Biden.

A host of stars from Hollywood and all of Washington will also celebrate the careers of soul great Gladys Knight, Cuban-born bandleader and songwriter Tania Leon, and evangelical gospel singer Amy Grant. during this gala evening, of which this is the 45th edition.

Joe Biden and his wife Jill, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff, must attend this prestigious evening in the great cultural center of the American capital, which ex-President Donald Trump, very unpopular in the world of American culture, had shunned throughout his tenure.

A series of celebrities will follow one another on the stage of the Kennedy Center to pay tribute to those honored on Sunday, who will have previously attended a private reception at the White House with the Bidens and a few handpicked guests, the day after a dinner of honor Saturday evening at the State Department, in the presence of the head of American diplomacy Antony Blinken.

The show will air on all major US channels on December 28.

The Oscar-winning actor George Clooney, 61, and his wife Amal, a lawyer specializing in the defense of human rights, are particularly expected this year on the red carpet. Star of the film “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Batman and Robin”, who also directed and produced several films, he said he was honored to receive this tribute.

“I, who grew up in a small town in Kentucky, never imagined that I would one day be seated on the Honors balcony of the Kennedy Center“, he said in a press release. “To be mentioned alongside the rest of these incredible artists is an honor.”

Nicknamed “the Empress of soul”, Gladys Knight, 78, declared herself “infinitely touched”. “The Kennedy Center’s dedication to art is unparalleled and I am so grateful“, she added.

Singer and philanthropist Bono and his group U2, which have sold 170 million albums worldwide, are honored for legendary titles like “Sunday Bloody Sunday”, “Desire” and “With or without you”.

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Music for her opera “Stride”, Tania Leon, 79, is known for her innovative and powerful compositions, mixing classical music and Cuban rhythms, as well as her chamber music.

Amy Grant, 62, was the first Christian music singer to go platinum, and she won six Grammy Awards.

The first Christian music star to be recognized by the Kennedy Center, she indicated that “never in (his) wildest dreams” she had never expected to receive this reward.

“Over the years I have seen many of my heroes celebrated by their fellow artists, always moved by the ability of films and music to bring us together and find the best in us.”she added in a press release. “Thank you for widening the circle for all of us.”