Georgian Honored at Film Festival
Southern Storytelling: Danny McBride created and starred in The Righteous Gemstones. Photo credit: contributed
Actor, writer, producer and Statesboro native Danny McBride will receive the 2026 Flannery O’Connor Award for Storytelling during the 23rd annual Rome International Film Festival, which takes place November 5-8 in the Floyd County city.
The award recognizes artists whose work embodies the distinctive spirit of Southern storytelling.
McBride, who co-created and starred in the two HBO television series Eastbound & Down and Vice Principals and created and starred in HBO’s The Righteous Gemstones, has also appeared in films like Tropic Thunder and Up in the Air and did voice acting on animated films such as Despicable Me and The Angry Birds Movie.
He is the sixth recipient of the honor and the first Georgia-born filmmaker to receive the award. Previous winners include Billy Bob Thornton, Ethan Hawke, Maya Hawke, Tim Blake Nelson and Jerusha Hess, who nominated McBride for this year’s award.
The Rome International Film Festival, which started in 2003, is known for showcasing independent artists and presenting screenings, workshops and live musical performances. It has become one of the Southeast’s premier festivals for independent cinema, attracting filmmakers, artists and audiences worldwide.
