According to People, Angelina Jolie is quite stealth. The famous actress managed to slip into the Hollywood Film Festival Awards Gala last night unnoticed, where she then presented director Clint Eastwood with the director of the year award. People says the audience actually gasped when her name was announced – they managed to keep the secret that quiet. Jolie had nothing but wonderful things to say about Eastwood, who returned the compliments.

She may be the most photographed woman in the world. But even Angelina Jolie can fly under the radar. The actress – who recently returned from a humanitarian mission in Afghanistan – made a surprise appearance at Monday night’s Hollywood Film Festival Awards Gala, where she payed tribute to director Clint Eastwood. In fact, Jolie’s appearance was so unexpected, the A-list crowd gasped audibly when she was introduced.

The mother-of-six took time out of her busy schedule to present Eastwood – who helmed her most recent move, The Changeling – with the director of the year award.

“There are some people in this business that are icons, and we often wonder if, when we meet them, they’ll live up to what we imagine them to be,” she told the audience. “And Clint Eastwood in person is even better. Clint is what every great director should be,” she continued. “He is a great leader. And I certainly would follow him anywhere.”

That admiration appears to be mutual. As he accepted the honor, Eastwood noted, “Working with someone like Angelina Jolie is a great privilege, because you get to look on that gorgeous beauty every day. And she’s a great talent.” The two walked arm-in-arm from the stage. Then Jolie, wearing a floor-sweeping black gown and minimal makeup, slipped out of the event as stealthily as she’d arrived.

[From People]

That’s pretty impressive. I have no idea if she teleported to the theater, but I searched through all the pictures from the event’s arrivals and I cannot find one with even a back view of someone who looks vaguely like Angelina. I have no idea how she managed to get in without anyone seeing her and/or getting a picture. She’s not exactly the sort that blends in, even on her bland days.

Clearly Angelina and Clint have a great respect for one another, and it appears that working together has really affected both of them. What a lovely thing, to be able to honor a friend like that – and be so low key about it.

Here’s Dina Eastwood and Clint Eastwood, Diane Lane & Josh Brolin, Frances Fisher, Amy Adams, Kat Dennings, Bonnie Hunt, James Franco, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ross McCall, Dustin Hoffman, Camilla Belle, Jamie King, Phoebe Price, Ben Stiller, Ron Howard, and Taraji Henson. Header of Clint and Angelina at the ‘Changeling’ premiere at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York on October 4th. Images thanks to WENN.