Alison Cross is set to receive the WGA West’s highest honor for television writing. The two-time Emmy winner has been named as the recipient of the Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award, given to a guild member who has “advanced the literature of television and made outstanding contributions to the profession of the television writer,” Deadline reports.
Past recipients of the award include “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Scandal” creator Shonda Rhimes, “Friends” and “Grace and Frankie” co-creator Marta Kauffman, and “Golden Girls” creator Susan Harris.
Cross’ recent credits include “Good Wife” spinoff “The Good Fight” and Shemar Moore-starrer “S.W.A.T.” She won Emmys for writing TV movies “Roe v. Wade,” based on the landmark Supreme Court case, and “Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story,” inspired by the true story of an officer who was discharged from the military after she identified herself as a lesbian. Holly Hunter starred in the former and Glenn Close in the latter.
“The board of directors is truly excited to give this award to such a skilled dramatist as Alison,” said WGA West president David A. Goodman. “She has a long and varied list of credits, but in all her scripts, whether on staff or as the sole creator, you hear the voice of a writer driven by the ideals of integrity and justice. Her impressive body of work has at times influenced society at large, and serves as an inspiration to all writers in the field.”
The award will be presented to Cross February 11 at the WGA Awards’ West Coast ceremony.
