Humanitas has tapped actors/writers June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer as host of this year’s Humanitas Prizes event, which will take place on Thursday, September 12 (three days before the Emmy Awards) at Avalon Hollywood.
“As writers, actors, and comedians June and Paul work tirelessly to champion stories and the people creating them,” said Humanitas executive director Michelle Franke in a statement. “Year after year, the Humanitas Prizes crowd is warm, engaged, and ready to laugh, and we know they’re going to have a blast with these two leading our show.”
The Humanitas Prizes nominees will be announced later this summer, the org said. The annual prize recognizes “writers exploring the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way” across nine TV and feature categories.
As part of the awards, Humanitas has also launched the Starz #TakeTheLead award, “which will recognize a New Voices Fellowship alum who has demonstrated a dedication to improving representation through their storytelling. Created as part of Starz’s #TakeTheLead commitment to amplifying narratives by, about, and for women and underrepresented audiences, the winner will receive a blind script deal from Starz and also mentorship and professional development opportunities from Starz executives for one year.”
Popular on PvNew
“Humanitas continues to be inspired by Starz TakeTheLead’s deep commitment to developing talent and their unmatched generosity,” Franke said. “The Starz #TakeTheLead Award will generate momentum for a writer in the Humanitas community at a time when many writers are experiencing a number of professional roadblocks.”
The group’s 2024-25 New Voices Fellowship will be announced in September, and joining is Emmylou Diaz (“Jane the Virgin”) as New Voices Fellowship Advisor.
“With the current upheaval in our industry, as well as the deep divides in our culture and politics, the mission of Humanitas is now more relevant than ever,” said Diaz. She takes over for Carter Covington (“Charmed”) who had served in the role since 2019.
Also at the Humanitas event, the 2024 David and Lynn Angell College Comedy Award and Carol Mendelsohn College Drama Award winners will be recognized.
The Humanitas Prize is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, having been founded in 1974 as a means to “empower television and film writers whose work explores the human condition in a nuanced way.”
Funds raised at event supports its Humanitas Prizes, New Voices Fellowship, College Screenwriting Awards and public programs. Past winners include “When They See Us,” “All in the Family,” “The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The West Wing,” “ER,” “Hidden Figures,” “Black-ish,” “St. Elsewhere,” “The Bernie Mac Show,” “Orange is the New Black,” “NYPD Blue” and more.
