Kathleen Kennedy will take home the top prize at the 22nd annual Art Directors Guild (ADG) Awards. The Lucasfilm president and “Star Wars” producer will receive the Cinematic Imagery Award, an honor given to “those whose body of work in the film industry has richly enhanced the visual aspects of the moviegoing experience,” Deadline reports. The ADG will present the accolade to Kennedy at the awards ceremony on January 27.
“Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling and set decorator Stephenie McMillan are the only women who have received the Cinematic Imagery Award before. Rowling and McMillan shared the honor with the rest of the “Harry Potter” franchise’s creative team in 2011.
“We are thrilled to recognize the amazing contributions Kathleen Kennedy has made to narrative design for more than three decades, while so beautifully creating a cinematic legacy as represented by some of the most successful movies of our time,” ADG President Nelson Coates remarked. “Ms. Kennedy is truly a significant role model. Her creative legacy and professional journey is an inspirational example to all young artists who are in search of a meaningful career in the entertainment industry. Through her perseverance, talent, and leadership, she has become an icon elevating the art of production design. She continues to raise the bar for all visual storytellers.”
Kennedy has received eight Academy Award nominations throughout her career, and has produced over 90 projects, including “Persepolis,” “Jurassic Park,” “Back to the Future,” and “Schindler’s List.” One of Kennedy’s upcoming credits is the much-anticipated follow-up to 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” “The Last Jedi.” The Daisy Ridley-led sequel hits theaters December 15.
During her keynote address at Elle’s Women in Hollywood Event last month, Kennedy called for a zero tolerance policy for the widespread sexual misconduct in Hollywood. She also suggested that individuals from all professional walks of life come together as a commission and design new, industry-wide practices to protect individuals from sexual harassment and abuse. “A demand is growing for action to prevent further civil and human rights abuses in the future,” she observed. “Predators must come to feel they can’t count on power or wealth or fame to shield them.”
