The Media Access Awards has announced the honoree roster for the Nov. 17 virtual event.
Hosted by Millicent Simonds and presented in partnership with Easterseals, the ceremony fetes “those individuals, series, and films that have redefined on-screen representation for the disability community, while advancing the portrayal and employment of people with disabilities in Hollywood.” Honorees are selected by the diversity committees of professional guilds with awards from the Casting Society of America, Producers Guild of America, Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America.
For the first time, IMDbPro will present an Excellence in Directing prize with this year’s going to John Krasinski for a commitment to inclusion on his latest film A Quiet Place Part II from Paramount Pictures. Simmonds, a star in the film, will present. Selma Blair, focus of the new Discovery+ documentary Introducing Selma Blair about her journey with multiple sclerosis, will be honored with a Visionary Award, presented by activist and #DisabledAndCute creator Keah Brown.
Oscar winner Marlee Matlin, who stars in this year’s Coda, will be presented with a lifetime achievement award from Shoshanna Stern. Her co-star in the Apple TV+ film, Troy Kotsur, will also be honored with a prize from SAG-AFTRA for his work with Eternals star Lauren Ridloff on board to present. And lastly, the film’s casting team will also be honored for their work with Deborah Aquila, Lisa Zagoria and Tricia Wood confirmed to receive the CSA Award from the film’s director Sian Heder.
SAG-AFTRA is also partnered on another award, the Disability Awareness Award, and it will go to Zeno Mountain Farm. It will be presented by Jamie Brewer and Zack Gottsagen. PGA’s George Sunga Award will go to Luca producer Andrea Warren as presented by one of the animated film’s stars, Jacob Tremblay. WGA’s Evan Somers Memorial Award will go to Special creator and star Ryan O’Connell. The show’s executive producer, Jim Parsons, will present.
In a special prize, Olympian Jamie Nieto has been selected to receive a Christopher Reeve Acting Scholarship, which will be presented by Michael Patrick Thornton. In addition to the awards presentation, the program also features a performance by Rex & Friends, a group of autistic and blind musicians and singers led by Rex Lewis-Clark, as well as Kinetic Light Company, which creates and performs at the intersections of disability, dance and race.
Of the full lineup, Mark Whitley, CEO of Easterseals Southern California, said, “The presenters and honorees at this year’s Media Access Awards are examples of how the industry is continuing to move forward to increase disability representation and inclusion.”
The Media Access Awards are sponsored by platinum sponsors IMDbPro and Friends producer Kevin Bright; gold sponsors ViacomCBS, Comcast and NBCUniversal; and silver sponsors Bunim/Murray, Sony Pictures, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, Legendary Film, and Disney General Entertainment Services. The show is executive produced by Deborah Calla and written by Allen Rucker.
More information can be found here.
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