Don Cheadle received the 2008 Los Angeles Film Festival Awards Spirit of Independence Award for his outstanding contribution to film at a ceremony at the Armand Hammer Museum on June 29, 2008 in Westwood, California.  Among the attendees were Halle Berry, Taraji Henson, Loretta Devine, and Jennifer Beals.

The actor earned the honour for his commitment to artistic independence in film. Speaking before the ceremony, he joked his main motivation was “the biggest cheque probably, the most money!!”

Laughing, Don swiftly insisted that he didn’t care about cash. “No, you know, [it’s] if I love it,” he said.

“You do a movie and that’s four months out of your life and you really have to be engaged and as a producer or a director it’s even more strenuous,” he said. “So as I go on I really have to believe in the thing that I’m doing, that’s the most important thing.”

The actor added: “In my business I’ve been very blessed, very fortunate. It’s more about when you put your sweat equity in it’s gotta be something you can really get behind.”

Previous recipients of the award have included Charlize Theron, Clint Eastwood and George Clooney.

Taraji Henson, who starred alongside Don in Talk To Me, said the honour couldn’t have gone to a more deserving individual, saying: “He’s an amazing guy, incredible, totally giving, very generous. He goes far and beyond to help you look good, which in turn is going to make him look good, that’s why he’s such a professional.”

Source: Film festival honour for Don

Don Cheadle

Halle Berry

Don Cheadle has issued an apology for his dodgy English accent in the Ocean’s Eleven films.

Speaking before he received the Spirit Of Independence Award in LA for his commitment to artistic independence, the top actor joked: “Forgive me! I won’t do it again!”

Showing his self-deprecating side, Don went on to explain how he’s been forced to watch some of his award-winning performances again against his will: “I don’t like to watch them afterwards, but it’s funny because my daughter has just turned 13 and she’s now at an age where she can watch a lot of the movies I’ve done. She hasn’t been able to before.

“So I’m actually showing them to her, and I’m seeing these movies that I’ve done for the first time in years.”

The actor joked: “She thinks I suck! She’s like ‘why you talking funny daddy?’”

Source: Don apologises for English accent

Photo credit: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images North America

Halle Berry

Don Cheadle

Don Cheadle and Taraji Henson

Taraji Henson

Loretta Devine

Jennifer Beals

Photos: Don Cheadle Receives 2008 LA Film Festival Spirit of Independence Award 6-29-08