Mary J. Blige will receive award for acting

A lot of music artists have segued into acting and been quite successful at it, including LL Cool J and Beyoncé. Now it’s Mary J Blige’s turn, and the singing star is already being recognized after her first major role. The Palm Springs International Film Festival is presenting her with the Breakthrough Performance Award for her ongoing part in “Mudbound.” The award, which has previously gone to artists such as Jennifer Hudson and Lupita Nyong’o, will be presented at the festival, which runs from Jan. 2 until Jan. 15., 2018. Blige is a Grammy® Award-winning singer, songwriter, actress and philanthropist, with a track record of eight multi-platinum albums, nine Grammy Awards (plus 32 nominations), a 2012 Golden Globe® nomination and five American Music Awards. She has appeared in Tyler Perry’s dramatic comedy “I Can Do Bad All By Myself” and “Rock of Ages.” Her other credits include the TV movie “Betty & Coretta,” the holiday musical drama “Black Nativity” and guest spots on “Black-ish,” “Empire,” “The Wiz Live!” and “How To Get Away With Murder.” The Breakthrough Performance Award will be presented to Blige on Jan. 2 at the festival’s annual gala at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Palm Springs International Film Festival is one of the largest in the U.S.