looked elegant and sophisticated at Variety’s 2024 Power of Women luncheon.
Close, 77, donned a zip-up black blazer with matching pants for the Thursday, May 2, event in New York City. She completed the look with a pair of nude, open-toed heels.
The Oscar nominee was all smiles posing with on the red carpet, who also wore an all-black ensemble for the occasion. Close gave a speech introducing Hargitay, 60, who was honored at the event for her work as an advocate for sexual assault survivors.
During her remarks, Close admitted she felt “overwhelmed” by the task of introducing her “extraordinary friend” in just two minutes.
Glenn Close honors Mariska Hargitay: “She’s a comic. She’s a healer. She’s Mother Earth. She’s a source of light.” | Variety Power of Women presented by @lifetimetv pic.twitter.com/uCaZAqY0gJ
— Variety (@Variety) May 2, 2024
“She’s a comic, she’s a healer, she’s Mother Earth, she’s a source of light,” she gushed. “As an actor, I am astounded by the fact that after 25 years as [her Law & Order: SVU character] Olivia Benson, Mariska is still relevant. She is still fresh and captivating. … She still finds the heart, the art and the power in her craft.”
Hargitay then took the stage herself and spoke about s 2020 rape conviction being overturned last month.
“I want to talk today about reversing convictions,” she said. “It’s impossible to reverse my conviction that survivors matter, that what happened to us matters, and that our society must respond to survivors more compassionately, more holistically, with a deeper, more nuanced understanding of what healing means.”
Hargitay also addressed the fact that the verdict was overturned due to the admittance of testimony from alleged victims who weren’t involved with the case being tried.
“I do want to say something about the overturned Harvey Weinstein conviction, specifically about the reason it was overturned: Too many women’s voices. Too many women were allowed to speak,” Hargitay said. “Risky to let women speak? You’re damn right it is. Too many women speaking brings change.”
Weinstein appeared in court on Wednesday, May 1, for the first time since his conviction was overturned. His case will be retried.
“We believe in this case,” prosecutor said of taking Weinstein’s case to court again. “It was a strong case in 2020 … and remains a strong case in 2024.”
In addition to Hargitay, , and were honored by Variety on Thursday. Schumer, 42, spoke about her work with Everytown for Gun Safety, Rimes, 54, highlighted the work of nonprofit dance school the Debbie Allen Dance Academy, and Anitta, 31, reflected on dreaming big while growing up poor in Brazil.
“We are born believing these things are not possible for us, because we don’t have it. There’s no structure. There’s no opportunities,” Anitta said of growing up in the favelas, where she said residents are “treated as the trash” of Brazil.
“There were so many rules. So many rules on how to be a woman, how to behave, how to find the best husband, how to look good for the audience, to be the cute girl everybody wants to marry,” the Latin pop star continued. “And I was just not this person. I wanted to shake my ass, I wanted to be free, I wanted to make my own money.”
In addition to the honorees, other attendees at this year’s Power of Women luncheon included , , , , and .
