Angela Bassett, Kerry Washington named among special honorees at Black Reel Awards
The "23rd Annual Black Reel Awards" is scheduled for Feb. 6.
Angela Bassett and Kerry Washington have been selected as special honorees for the “23rd Annual Black Reel Awards (“The Bolts”).” Effie T. Brown and Debra Martin Chase were also named special honorees for the annual award, according to Variety.
“Since its inception, the Black Reel Awards have remained at the forefront of acknowledging the accomplishments of exceptional Black creatives,” said Black Reel Award founder and CEO Tim Gordon in a statement. “Each of these women has left an indelible mark on cinematic history and the culture.”
Bassett will receive the Sidney Poitier Trailblazer Award for her acting achievements, joining past recipients Cicely Tyson and Laurence Fishburne. Bassett is also up for an outstanding supporting actress nomination for her role as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”
Washington will get the Ruby Dee Humanitarian Award in recognition of her philanthropic work. The “Scandal” star has supported organizations such as the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the NAACP, Save the Children. Stars who have previously received this honor are Oprah Winfrey and Chaz Ebert.
Brown will receive the Vanguard Award. She has produced groundbreaking films that include “Dear White People,” “Real Women Have Curves” and 2022’s “The Inspection,” which is nominated for 10 Black Reel Awards this year. Jamie Foxx and Halle Berry are among the past recipients of the Vanguard Award.
Chase, also a trailblazing producer, is getting the Oscar Micheaux Impact Award. In addition to the CBS series, “The Equalizer,” Chase has also produced hit films like “The Princess Diaries,” “The Cheetah Girls,” “Cinderella (1997)” and “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.” The previous recipients of the Oscar Micheaux Impact Award are Spike Lee and Suzanne de Passe.
The Black Reel Awards, presented by the Foundation for the Augmentation of African Americans in Film (FAAAF), recognizes the “excellence of African Americans and the cinematic achievements of the African diaspora in the global film industry.”
The “23rd Annual Black Reel Awards” is scheduled to stream at 8 p.m. ET on Feb. 6 on www.blackreelawards.com.
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