When this year’s Producers Guild of America Awards are handed out, along with those being recognized for their achievements in projects over the last year will be a handful of the industry’s top names, receiving the guild’s Honorary Awards.
These Honorary Awards were not handed out during last year’s virtual ceremony, adding more excitement to this year’s in-person event.
The 2022 Visionary Award, which recognizes a television, film or new media producer for unique or uplifting contributions to our culture through inspiring storytelling or performance, will be awarded to Issa Rae. The producer-actor-writer, whose HBO series “Insecure” wrapped up this year after five seasons, also served as executive producer on “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and “Sweet Life: Los Angeles,” to name a few of her credits.
“Issa makes us excited for the future of television. Beyond Issa’s prolific work, she is a role model and inspiration to the next generation of creatives through her mentorship programs like ColorCreative, and more recently, Project Greenlight. We are thrilled to honor Issa this year,” say PGA presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher.
The prolific Greg Berlanti will receive the 2022 Norman Lear Achievement Award, recognizing a producer or producing team for an extraordinary body of work in television. Berlanti’s body of work includes over 70 producer credits, from the stable of DC superhero shows on the CW such as “The Flash,” “Arrow,” “Supergirl” to more series such as Netflix’s “You” and HBO’s “The Flight Attendant.”
“I’m incredibly honored to receive this award from everyone at the PGA,” says Berlanti. “Especially given it’s named after Norman Lear: the kindest, warmest and wisest legend I’ve ever had the good fortune of calling a friend.”
Receiving the 2022 David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures, which honors a producer or producing team for an extraordinary body of work in Motion Pictures, is Mary Parent.
Also nominated for the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for this year’s “Dune,” Parent’s other recent credits include “Godzilla vs. Kong,” “Pokémon Detective Pikachu” and “Enola Holmes.”
“I am very humbled to be recognized alongside so many legendary producers who have received this honor before me right down to the award’s namesake, David O. Selznick,” Parent says. “The films they have produced not only impacted cinematic history but also global culture in ways only true storytelling can achieve.”
Adding to her already abundantly crowded awards shelves, Rita Moreno will take home the 2022 Stanley Kramer Award. Intended to honor productions, producers or others for their achievements in raising public awareness for social issues.
“The last thing I ever dreamed of in my young life was being honored in any circumstance,” says Moreno. “That the Producers Guild of America has chosen to honor me not only for my work but for the principles I have tried to uphold and live by throughout my life is so gratifying.”
The Milestone Award is the Guild’s highest honor, awarded to an individual or team for their contributions to the entertainment industry, which perfectly describes this year’s honorees, George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy. Through their immense body of work, individually and working on projects together, the duo has given audiences thrills and magic for decades in some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises.
“Together, George and Kathleen have carved out a fantastic empire of entertainment that inspires and entertains billions, all with the highest levels of both creative and technical achievement,” say Berman and Fisher. “We’re very proud to honor George and Kathleen as they celebrate the 50th anniversary of Lucasfilm.”