Ava DuVernay is having a remarkable year. She’s been named the NAACP Image Awards’ Entertainer of the Year, received the PGA’s Visionary Award, been brought on to the Cannes Jury, debuted her first big budget film, “A Wrinkle in Time,” and signed on for her second, DC Comics adaptation “The New Gods.” Now the “Queen Sugar” creator is set to receive the Excellence in Media Award at the 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. TheWrap broke the news.
The Excellence in Media Award recognizes “media professionals who have made a difference in promoting equality for the LGBTQ community.” Throughout her work DuVernay has welcomed LGBTQ individuals on both sides of the camera, including “Queen Sugar” main character Nova (Rutina Wesley), who is bisexual.
In the wake of the Harvey Weinstein revelations last fall, DuVernay emphasized the need for intersectionalism in the fight against toxic masculinity. “For…women like me and many others, that protection of our womenhood isn’t enough, because we’re not only women,” she said. “We’re black. We’re brown. We are native. We are Asian. We are Muslim. We are queer. We are many things that deserve safe spaces and protection.” She continued, “Until all women are safe, until we take an intersectional approach to safeguard within this industry … we are not truly living up to the movement.”
“Queen Sugar” returns for a third season May 29. DuVernay’s directing credits include Emmy-winning doc “13th” and features “Selma” and “Middle of Nowhere.” She’s working on a Netflix miniseries about the Central Park Five and a TV adaptation of Octavia Butler’s “Dawn.”
Earlier this year DuVernay launched an inclusion fund with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and “The Lego Movie” producer Dan Lin.
Previous Excellence in Media awardees include Julianne Moore, Glenn Close, Kelly Ripa, Debra Messing, Tyra Banks, Barbara Walters, and Diane Sawyer.
Samira Wiley will also be celebrated at the GLAAD Awards. The “Handmaid’s Tale” actress and LGBTQ activist will take home the Vito Russo Award. Fellow “Handmaid’s Tale” star Alexis Bledel will present Wiley with the prize.
The 29th Annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held May 5 in New York.
