Oprah Winfrey, Niecy Nash-Betts Among Honorees; Ceremony to Stream on Hulu
GLAAD, the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization, has revealed the recipients for 16 of this year’s 33 categories for the 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards. Among the honorees, Oprah Winfrey was presented with the Vanguard Award, with the introduction given by long-time friends, iconic Chicago performer Chilli Pepper, and celebrity host Paolo Presta.
Winfrey said while accepting her award, “35 years ago, my brother, Jeffrey Lee, passed away when he was just 29 years old from AIDS. Growing up at the time, we, in the community we did, we didn’t have the language to understand or speak about sexuality and gender in the way we do now. At the time, I didn’t know how deeply my brother internalized the shame that he felt about being gay. I wish he could have lived to witness these liberated times and to be here with me tonight.”
“What I know for sure is that when we can see one another, we are open to supporting the truth of a fellow human.”
“It makes for a full, rich, vibrant life for us all. And that’s what I wish my brother Jeffrey could have experienced a world that could see him for who he was and appreciate him for what he brought to this world. I am proud to receive this honor. Thank you, GLAAD.”
You can watch her full speech here:
Niecy Nash-Betts received the Stephen F. Kolzak Award, presented by Sharon Stone. The ceremony, hosted by Wayne Brady, saw casts of Ted Lasso, Yellowjackets, Fellow Travelers, and RuPaul’s Drag Race accept awards in their respective categories. Trace Lysette accepted a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Film—Limited Release for “Monica,” while Renee Rapp received the award for Outstanding LGBTQ Music Artist.
The 35th Annual GLAAD Media Awards will stream on Hulu beginning Friday, March 29.
To kick off the show, actress and singer-songwriter Kate Hudson delivered a special live performance of her new single, “Talk About Love.” Additionally, five-time Grammy-nominated recording artist Chlöe performed “FYS,” her first music release of 2024, and the first live rendition of the song.
GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis, introduced by Renee Rapp, said, “Over 500 anti-trans bills have been proposed nationwide this year, and it’s only March. It’s time to get the bullies out. We cannot let up the pressure. We must keep our community moving forward.” and “This is not a fire drill; this is the actual fire.”
You can watch her full speech here:
GLAAD presented several awards from six categories onstage, including those for Outstanding Limited or Anthology Series (Fellow Travelers), Outstanding Comedy Series (Ted Lasso), Outstanding Film – Limited Theatrical Release (Monica), Outstanding Reality Competition Program (RuPaul’s Drag Race), and Outstanding Drama Series (Yellowjackets). Reneé Rapp was honored with the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Artist.
Offstage, GLAAD announced additional winners through a video reel, recognizing achievements in various fields such as music, film, television, and journalism. Notable winners include David Archuleta for Outstanding Breakthrough Music Artist, “Bottoms” for Outstanding Film – Wide Theatrical Release, and “Ada Twist: Scientist” for Outstanding Children’s Programming.
The GLAAD Media Awards also acknowledged excellence in Spanish language media, honoring productions like “La Noches De Tefia” for Outstanding Scripted Television Series and “Adolescentes trans relatan su experiencia” from Noticiero Telemundo for Outstanding TV Journalism.
In addition to the announced winners, GLAAD previously recognized Special Recognition awardees, including The Dads (Netflix), Renaissance: A Film by Beyonce (AMC Theatres), and Yes I Am: The Ric Weiland Story. The Barbara Gittings Award for Excellence in LGBTQ Media was presented to +Life Media.
The remaining winners for select categories will be announced at GLAAD’s New York Ceremony on Saturday, May 11.
GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis serves as Executive Producer of the 35th GLAAD Media Awards alongside GLAAD’s Rich Ferraro and Anthony Allen Ramos. GLAAD’s Tony Morrison serves as Supervising Producer, and Jose Useche serves as Producer. The ceremonies are produced in partnership with STAMP Event Co., and Wendy Shanker serves as Headwriter.
