The Hollywood Reporter announced today that Tina Fey will receive the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award and Ryan Murphy will receive the first-ever Equity in Entertainment Award at its annual Women in Entertainment Breakfast.
Fox News’ Megyn Kelly will also deliver the opening remarks at the VIP breakfast taking place December 7 in Los Angeles.
As a recipient of The Hollywood Reporter’s Sherry Lansing Leadership Award — which recognizes a woman who is a pioneer and a leader in her industry — Fey joins a long line of preeminent names including last year’s honoree Barbra Streisand, as well as Shonda Rhimes, Oprah Winfrey, Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Dame Helen Mirren, Meryl Streep, Halle Berry, Jodie Foster, Glenn Close and Barbara Walters.
“I am thrilled that The Hollywood Reporter has chosen to recognize Tina. Her remarkable professional achievements and philanthropic generosity have greatly inspired me and hundreds of millions of people worldwide,” said Sherry Lansing, former CEO of Paramount Pictures, and the first woman to head a Hollywood studio, where she greenlit Fey’s first motion picture, Mean Girls. “The Hollywood Reporter could not have chosen a more deserving individual to honor.”
Murphy will receive THR’s inaugural Equity in Entertainment Award, which recognizes an individual who has remained committed to more inclusion for women and people of color in the entertainment industry. In 2016, Murphy launched Half, a foundation within his 20th Century Fox TV-based production company that aims to have 50 percent of all director slots on his shows filled by women, people of color and members of the LGBTQ community.
“Both Tina and Ryan perfectly exemplify the ideals and mission of THR’s Women in Entertainment initiative and modern Hollywood overall,” said Janice Min, president and chief creative officer of The Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Media Group. “They use their enormous influence to question, drive and impact the status quo while being incredibly entertaining and smart both in front of the cameras and behind them.”
Kelly, host of The Kelly File, has had a stellar 2016, anchoring one of the most-watched programs on Fox News and recently ranking number one in all of cable news for the coveted demographic of 25-54 year olds. Additionally, millions have tuned in to watch her post-debate analysis. Kelly recently signed a deal to produce a new scripted political comedy series, “Embeds”, for Verizon’s streaming platform Go90. Kelly, alongside Kevin Spacey, is also developing and producing “The Residence” for FX, with writer Dustin Lance Black. She will deliver the day’s opening remarks in front of the power crowd at the annual breakfast.
“Megyn Kelly repeatedly has proved her independence and leadership this election year, kicking off and continuing an important discussion about gender following her news-making performance at the first Republican debate,” Min says. “Not surprisingly, she stood her ground under attack in ways that made all media – and women – applaud.”
The Women in Entertainment breakfast, sponsored by Lifetime, American Airlines, Mercedes Benz, The Outnet, and Loyola Marymount University in partnership with the Entertainment Industry Foundation, coincides with the publication of The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Women in Entertainment: Power 100.
