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The
Princess Grace Foundation-USA
www.pgfusa.org
is
pleased to announce that Jon M. Chu will
be this year’s recipient of the 2025
Prince Rainier III Award, the
highest honor celebrated at the
Foundation’s annual Princess Grace
Awards Gala. Bestowed upon an
entertainment luminary whose prestigious
career is matched with
philanthropic service, the Award will be
presented to Mr. Chu by H.S.H. Prince
Albert II of Monaco on Wednesday,
October 29th at The Plaza in New York
City.
The evening also celebrates a growing
community of emerging extraordinary
artists in theater, dance and film.
This year marks the 20th Anniversary of
the Prince Rainier III Award which
commemorates the memory of Prince
Rainier III of Monaco (Princess Grace’s
Husband) who established the
Foundation as a public charity in memory
of Princess Grace of Monaco. The Prince
Rainier III
Award includes a grant of $25,000 to the
philanthropic organization of the
recipient’s choice. Mr. Chu has
chosen for his grant to benefit the
Princess Grace Foundation-USA.
Jon M. Chu was first recognized by the
Princess Grace Foundation-USA with a
Princess Grace Award in 2001 while
still a student at University of
Southern California with a vision to
create a musical short film for his
thesis. Since then, his extraordinary
journey as a director and
entertainment leader has shaped the
landscape of modern cinema, including
his role in bringing Asian
American representation to Hollywood in
Crazy Rich Asians and reviving the
Hollywood musical through In the
Heights, and now Wicked and the upcoming
Wicked: For Good.
“Jon’s work has exemplified a dedication
to artistry and storytelling,
demonstrating the very spirit of
craftsmanship that we celebrate through
the Princess Grace Foundation. This
marks the first time the
Foundation will bestow the Prince
Rainier III Award on a previous Princess
Grace Award winner—underscoring
both Jon’s singular talent and the
promise our program has long
nurtured,” stated Diana Kemppainen,
President, Princess Grace
Foundation-USA.
"Over 20 years ago, the Princess Grace
Foundation opened a door for me at a
time when few others would and, in
doing so, made me feel like I was part
of a larger artistic family: one built
on generosity, grace, and belief in
potential. Princess Grace’s legacy of
nurturing young artists shaped the
very foundation of my career. To now
receive the Prince Rainier III Award,
which honors not just artistic
excellence but a commitment to giving
back, is a profoundly humbling
reminder that I’m still part of that
family and continuing the cycle of
support she began,” Jon M. Chu stated.
Prince Albert II of Monaco said of Jon
M. Chu: “It is a profound honor for My
family and Myself to uphold My
Mother’s commitment to the arts and
philanthropy. This year marks the
70th anniversary of her Academy Award
for The Country Girl. To mark this
milestone by presenting the Prince
Rainier III Award to Jon M. Chu—whose
artistic achievements and generosity are
both exceptional—is a fitting tribute.
It gives Me great joy to preside over
this legendary event, celebrating Jon
and Princess Grace Award winners whose
artistry will shape the future of
the entertainment industries.”
# # #
ABOUT THE PRINCESS GRACE FOUNDATION –
USA @princessgraceus,
www.pgfusa.org
The Princess Grace Foundation-USA is
dedicated to honoring the legacy of
Princess Grace of Monaco, neé
Grace Kelly. Her commitment to advance
the arts in the United States is
sustained by the Princess Grace
Awards which supports and elevates
extraordinary emerging artists in
theater, dance and film through career
advancing grants; and nurtures and
supports Princess Grace Award
winners through their careers. A 501(c)3
not-for-profit based in New York City,
the Foundation was established in 1982
by Prince Rainier III of Monaco to honor
his wife, Princess Grace of Monaco
and her legacy. Since the Awards were
first given in 1984, the
Foundation has granted nearly $20
million to more than 900 recipients.
Notable Princess Grace Award winners
include: Paul Tazewell, Academy Award
winner and 2 time Tony Award
winner for Costume Design; Jon M. Chu
director of Crazy Rich Asians and
Wicked; Stephen Hillenburg, creator of
SpongeBob SquarePants; Sundance Grand
Jury Prize winner and director of Till
Chinonye Chukwu; Tony Award winner
director Anna Shapiro; Pulitzer
Prize and Tony Award winner playwrights
Tony Kushner and Branden Jacobs
Jenkins; Golden Globe Award winner Oscar
Isaac; Tony Award winner Leslie Odom, Jr;
American Ballet Theatre’s Gillian Murphy
and Isabella Boylston; New York City
Ballet’s Tiler Peck; and
choreographers Kyle Abraham and Camille
A. Brown.
PRINCE RAINIER III AWARD WINNERS
Previous recipients of the Prince
Rainier III Award include
Michael Douglas (2024), Bernadette Peters, Tim Daly, Jane Cameron,
Queen Latifah, Julie Andrews, Mikhail
Baryshnikov, Glenn Close, George Lucas,
Mandy Patinkin, Twyla Tharp,
Denzel and Paulette Washington
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