On Wednesday, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Selena Gomez will be honored with this year's Equity in Entertainment Award at the prestigious Women in Entertainment breakfast gala, hosted by Lifetime and scheduled for December 4th in Los Angeles. Gomez joins Nicole Kidman, who was previously announced as the recipient of the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award, in the ranks of esteemed honorees at this year's grand event.
The Equity in Entertainment Award shines a spotlight on individuals who champion the voices of marginalized communities within the entertainment industry. Since its inception in 2016, the award has been bestowed upon luminaries such as Kerry Washington, Issa Rae, Ryan Murphy, Amy Pascal, Nina Jacobson, and Selma Blair.
"Selena Gomez has consistently inspired people worldwide, not only as an exceptional entertainer but also as a deeply dedicated advocate," said Nekesa Mumbi Moody and Maer Roshan, co-editors-in-chief of THR. "From her tireless efforts to raise awareness and funds for youth mental health through the Rare Impact Fund to her advocacy for lupus awareness and beyond, Selena is a trailblazer who gets her hands dirty in the work. She stands as an exceptional leader actively paving the way for a more equitable and inclusive future for all, and we are thrilled to honor her with this year's Equity in Entertainment Award."
Gomez stands as one of the most celebrated artists, actors, producers, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists of her generation, both globally and culturally. Currently, the Emmy-nominated Gomez serves as an executive producer and stars in Hulu's Only Murders in the Building alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short, earning her multiple Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.
Upcoming, Gomez will be featured in Jacques Audiard's Oscar-contending film Emilia Pérez for Netflix. In May, she and her three co-stars were honored with the Best Performance by an Actress award for their roles in the film at the Cannes Film Festival.
As a producer, Gomez has helmed the hit Netflix series 13 Reasons Why and the Netflix docuseries Living Undocumented, making her the most Emmy-nominated Latina producer in history. The Grammy-nominated recording artist has sold over 191 million singles and garnered over 38 billion streams worldwide.
In 2019, Gomez launched her beauty line, Rare Beauty, exclusively with Sephora. As part of this partnership, she announced the Rare Impact Fund, committing to raise $100 million for mental health services in underserved communities. Gomez is also the co-founder of Wondermind, a mental health ecosystem. Philanthropy and activism have been cornerstone pillars of Gomez's career, and she has leveraged her platform to advocate for critical causes including UNICEF, Make-A-Wish, The Lupus Research Alliance, and the Center for Countering Digital Hate. She has collaborated with President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden, First Lady Michelle Obama, Vice President Kamala Harris, Stacey Abrams, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, and other global leaders.
The gala, attended by 600 industry leaders and VIPs, coincides with the release of THR's highly anticipated Women in Entertainment issue, which highlights the Power 100 list, showcasing the most influential female executives and talents in entertainment. The event will also welcome approximately 30 high school juniors and seniors currently participating in THR's pioneering Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program. A highlight of the breakfast, this year's celebration will see over $1 million in university scholarships presented to high school seniors from the program. The mentorship program, a joint venture with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, will celebrate its 15th anniversary at the gala.
THR's Women in Entertainment event is presented by Lifetime, one of the WIE Mentorship Program's foremost supporters, having contributed more than $1.7 million in scholarships over the past eight years. The event is also sponsored by Best Buy, Delta Air Lines, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, SAG-AFTRA, and WME, and presented in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, Chapman University, and Loyola Marymount University.
The Hollywood Reporter's Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program is a fiscally sponsored fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation.
This announcement follows THR's impressive 53 nominations at the 17th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, including Best Website.
