Veteran TV and film producer Gail Berman has been tapped to receive the Norman Lear Achievement Award at 2024 Producers Guild Awards ceremony next month.
Berman, whose most recent hits include Netflix’s “Wednesday” and 2022’s “Elvis,” will be feted at the 25th annual Producers Guild Awards on Feb. 25. Berman’s long resume includes a five-year run as head of entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Co. and serving as the No. 2 executive at Paramount Pictures from 2005 to 2007. She is also a previous president of the Producers Guild, serving alongside producer Lucy Fisher from 2018-2022.
“Gail’s impact on the television industry is nothing short of groundbreaking. Whether it’s the contemporary successes of shows like ‘Wednesday’ or her extensive role as a television executive overseeing critical and commercial hits such as ‘American Idol,’ ’24,’ ‘House,’ ‘Family Guy’ and ‘Arrested Development,’ her commitment as a producer speaks volumes and her impact has left an indelible mark on the medium,” Producers Guild of America presidents Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line said in a joint statement. “Norman Lear was a cultural icon whose producing work helped to transform television and shaped American society. We are honored to continue celebrating his legacy with this annual achievement.”
Berman also has entrepreneurial credentials. She launched the TV divison of New Regency Productions in the late 1990s, which delivered a big hit for Fox with the family comedy “Malcolm in the Middle.” She was head of the digital media curve 15 years ago through her partnership with Lloyd Braun in the BermanBraun banner, which hatched the news and shopping websites Wonderwall and Glo. At present, Berman is CEO of the Jackal Group production venture.
Lear’s death in December at the age of 101 gives the PGA’s long-established award extra significance this year.
“I had the immense privilege of knowing Norman personally, and I know his legacy will continue to inspire artists and activists for generations,” Berman said. “My sincere thanks go to the Producers Guild for this recognition. It is a tremendous honor to be associated with its past recipients and the iconic namesake who so many of us consider a hero.”
Berman has had a hand in producing more than 300 episodes of television, including notable series ranging from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” to “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo.” Her current shows include the Fox animated series “Grimsburg” and Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of Elin Hilderbrand’s best-selling novel “The Perfect Couple,” starring Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber.
Past recipients of the PGA’s Norman Lear kudo include Chuck Lorre, Ryan Murphy, Shonda Rhimes, Amy Sherman-Palladino, Greg Berlanti, J.J. Abrams and Dick Wolf.
