Heated Rivalry And Stranger Things Among Honorees At Critics Choice LGBTQ+ Celebration
This year's honorees have been announced for the Critics Choice Association's Celebration of LGBTQ+ Cinema & Television — and some of TV's biggest and buzziest shows are among them.
The talent behind HBO Max's gay hockey drama "Heated Rivalry" and Netflix's sci-fi hit "Stranger Things" will receive awards at the third annual celebration, "which recognizes achievements across the LGBTQ+ entertainment community and spotlights the talented stars, creators, and writers behind some of the year's most acclaimed projects," according to the organization. The ceremony will take place Friday, May 29 in Los Angeles.
"Heated Rivalry" writer and director Jacob Tierney will receive the Showrunner Award for his work on the show, while "Stranger Things" star Noah Schnapp, aka Will Byers, will receive the Breakthrough Performance Award for his work on the final season, which "gave Schnapp the platform to deliver a compelling portrayal of coming out in the 1980s as a young adult."
Read on to see who else will be honored at this year's ceremony...
This year's winners include Hacks and Ghosts
"Hacks" star Hannah Einbinder will receive the Performance Award for a Comedy Series for playing queer comedy writer Ava on the HBO Max series, with the Critics Choice Association saying that "her work brings an authentic queer perspective to the screen, offering a nuanced and emotionally resonant performance."
Brandon Scott Jones, who plays Isaac on CBS' "Ghosts," will receive the Supporting Performance Award for a Comedy Series for "portraying self-acceptance and the experience of navigating the modern world as a member of the queer community."
Bre-Z, who plays Coop on The CW's "All American," will receive the Performance Award for a Drama Series for bringing "depth, authenticity, and resonance" to her character as she "evolves from navigating adolescence as a young lesbian to becoming a confident grounded adult."
"Star Trek: Starfleet Academy" cast members Tig Notaro, Karim Diané, Gina Yashere, and Kerrice Brooks will receive the Ensemble Award for their roles in the show's "dynamic romantic storylines exploring queer love."
Additional honorees this year include Jane Lynch (the Groundbreaker Award), Dan Levy (the Vanguard Award), Paula Pell (the Trailblazer Award), Dearbhla Walsh (the Director Award), and The Boulet Brothers (the Reality TV Award).
"LGBTQ+ representation continues to matter, now more than ever," Critics Choice Association CEO Joey Berlin said in a statement. "The Critics Choice Association is proud to celebrate and uplift the achievements of the LGBTQ+ community."