50 Years of WIF

November 30, 2023

The annual benefit supports WIF’s educational and philanthropic programs and its advocacy for gender parity throughout the entertainment industry. This year’s WIF Honors will celebrate WIF’s 50th anniversary of fighting for gender equity in Hollywood and will recognize the women working on the frontlines to change the entertainment industry for the better. Read the press release.

For information about how your company can get involved with WIF events, such as our Oscar Nominees Party and WIF Honors, please contact Laura Salinas at lsalinas@wif.org

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Honoring

America Ferrera

Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award

America Ferrera

Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award

America Ferrera is an award-winning actor, director and producer known for her many iconic roles in TV and film including Ugly Betty, Real Women Have Curves, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Superstore and most recently Greta Gerwig’s History-making Barbie. For her breakthrough performance in Ugly Betty, Ferrera was awarded an Emmy®, a Screen Actors Guild Award® and a Golden Globe®, as well as ALMA and Imagen Awards.

In January 2022, Ferrera was announced as the face of Covergirl’s “Fresh Clean Skincare” collection, the company’s first clean, vegan skincare line. 

Ferrera currently stars in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, a Warner Bros. Discovery film highlighting the iconic Mattel doll line. She stars alongside Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu and Kate McKinnon. Released in theaters on July 21, Barbie has broken countless box office records, with a domestic opening of over $214M and over $470M worldwide. THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER calls Ferrera “brilliant,” and she is referred to by THE WRAP and AWARDS WATCH as “scene-stealing.” FILM UPDATES describes her performance as, “the film’s beating heart and luminous soul, a genuinely moving performance and a showstopping monologue that had the audience applauding.”

Upcoming, Ferrera can be seen in Dumb Money, a 2023 Sony and Black Bear Pictures’ dramedy directed by Craig Gillespie, based on Ben Mezrich’s book The Antisocial Network, also starring Seth Rogen, Sebastian Stan, Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Shailene Woodley, Anthony Ramos, Dane DeHaan, and Vincent D’Onofrio. Dumb Money is set to premiere at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and release across theaters on September 22.

Subsequently, Ferrera will make her feature directorial debut with an adaptation of Erika Sánchez’s New York Times bestselling novel, I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.

Ferrera recently starred in the Apple TV+ series, WeCrashed opposite Jared Leto and Anne Hathaway. In the series, Ferrera plays Elishia Kennedy, a successful CEO and entrepreneur who is conned into leaving her own company and joining WeWork but is eventually pushed out. 

Ferrera executive produced and directed episodes for Seasons 1 & 2 of NETFLIX’s hit Latinx Dramedy, Gentefied. The series follows three Mexican American cousins and their struggle to chase the American Dream. 

She also executive produced, directed and starred in NBC’s beloved workplace comedy, Superstore, which ended its six-season run on March 25, 2021. 

In July of 2020, Ferrera was announced as a Founding Investor of Angel City Football Club, a National Women’s Soccer League team representing her hometown, Los Angeles, California.

A longtime activist, Ferrera launched Poderistas in 2020 alongside 9 other prominent activist, leaders and business women, including Eva Longoria Bastón and Christy Haubegger. Poderistas is a digital lifestyle community and non-profit built to inform, affirm, and inspire Latinas to leverage their power and transform their lives, their community and their nation. Ferrera is also a prolific speaker having spoken at major events such as TED, the DNC, and March for Our Lives. She was also opening speaker and chair of the Artists’ Committee for the Women’s March on Washington in 2017. Her activism has extended on screen in several television documentaries including Not Done:  Women Remaking America for PBS, the EPIX TV mini-series, America Divided, Showtime’s groundbreaking documentary, The Years of Living Dangerously, and Nicholas Kristof’s series for PBS Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.  

In 2016, Ferrera co-founded HARNESS, with her husband Ryan Piers Williams and friend Wilmer Valderrama. HARNESS is a community of artists, influencers and grassroots leaders leveraging art and storytelling to power change and create a more equitable world. 

In 2018, Ferrera released her first book landing on the New York Times best-seller list. American Like Me is a vibrant and varied collection of first-person accounts from prominent figures about the experience of growing up between cultures in America. Curated and edited by Ferrera, the anthology includes essays that share her own perspective of growing up as the daughter of Honduran immigrants in Los Angeles. Contributors to the book include Lin-Manuel Miranda, Roxane Gay, Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani, Congressman Joaquin Castro, Kal Penn, Uzo Aduba, Jenny Zhang, Michelle Kwan, Padma Lakshmi and many others. 

Some of Ferrera’s television and film credits include Real Women Have Curves; Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (parts 1 and 2); Diego Luna’s biopic, Cesar Chavez, (ALMA Award Special achievement in Film); Ryan Piers Williams’ The Dry Land, (Best International Film Edinburgh Film Festival); Ryan Piers Williams’ drama X/Y, which she co-produced and starred in; David Ayer’s crime thriller  End of Watch; Ricky Gervais’ Special Correspondents; It’s a Disaster;  Lords of Dogtown;  How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer,  among many others. She lends her vocal talents to the Oscar® nominated franchise films How to Train Your Dragon as Astrid.  

On stage, she has appeared off-Broadway in Terrence McNally’s Lips Together, Teeth Apart; Laura Marks’ Bethany; and Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, directed by Trip Cullman. She graced the stage as Roxie Hart in the West End production of the hit musical, Chicago. 

In 2006, Ferrera founded her own television and film production company, Take Fountain. 

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Ferrera is the youngest of six children. As a graduate of the University of Southern California, Ferrera studied International Relations while pursuing her film and television career. She currently resides in New York City with her husband and two children.

Celine Song

Crystal Award for Advocacy

Celine Song

Crystal Award for Advocacy

Celine Song is a playwright and filmmaker whose debut feature, Past Lives, opened to overwhelmingly high praise at its Sundance premiere. Loosely based on and inspired by Song’s own life experience, Past Lives, which she wrote and directed, was released by A24 in Summer 2023. The film is on many Oscar pundits lists as the best of 2023 and has already earned two Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards for Best Indie and Best Screenplay. 

As a playwright, Song is best known for Endlings, which premiered in 2019 at American Repertory Theater and had its New York debut in 2020 at New York Theatre Workshop. She has been a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and a semifinalist for the American Playwriting Foundation’s Relentless Award. During the New York Theatre Company’s virtual 2020 season, she presented live on Twitch, The Seagull on the Sims 4. Song also wrote on the first season of Amazon series Wheel of Time.

Eva Longoria

Crystal Award for Advocacy

Eva Longoria

Crystal Award for Advocacy

Having worked consistently in Hollywood for over 20 years, Eva Longoria has cemented herself as an industry staple known for her work both in front of and behind the camera. Named by Variety as one of their most anticipated directors of 2023, Longoria continues to hone her craft, seek new projects, and expand opportunities for others by paving the way for future women and minority producers, directors and industry leaders in Hollywood and beyond.

A highly sought after director, Longoria made a big splash at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival with her critically-acclaimed documentary, La Guerra Civil. The film tells the story of boxers Oscar de la Hoya and Julio Cesar Chavez and delves into the historic bout between the two Latino giants. In addition to directing the film, Longoria also executive produced via her UnbeliEVAble Entertainment banner alongside DAZN’s Deirdre Fenton and filmmaker Bernardo Ruiz. Deadline commented “…La Guerra Civil [is] an engaging Sundance Film Festival documentary premiere from Eva Longoria Bastón,” in addition to Variety calling the film “a spirited documentary” and a “special kind of treat”. IndieWire said, “…With an honest perspective and energetic style, [La Guerra Civil] offers a shrewd look at how two athletes came to represent divergent national and social identities.” Longoria also directed the pilot episode of the HBO Max series Gordita Chronicles, which premiered on the streaming platform in June 2022. Longoria is an executive producer alongside Zoe Saldana on this coming-of-age series about family, opportunity, love and resilience following a Dominican family who head to Miami from Santo Domingo in pursuit of the “American Dream.” She made her feature directorial debut in 2023 with the Searchlight biopic Flamin’ Hot about the story of Richard Montañez and the spicy Flamin’ Hot Cheetos snack for which she beat out multiple high profile film directors vying for the job. Flamin’ Hot premiered June 9th on Hulu and was the most watched Searchlight Pictures streaming premiere ever. Upon its premiere at SXSW, reviewers heralded Eva as a “Budding filmmaker determined to make it authentic for the people it is about.” Coming up, Eva is set to star in Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and the coming-of-age film Aristotle and Dante based on the book of the same name.

Additionally, in December 2021, CNN announced it had set Eva Longoria: Searching For Mexico, an original docuseries that launched March 26, 2023. A new iteration of CNN’s popular Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy that Longoria pitched to the network herself, the six-part series follows Longoria as she travels across Mexico exploring the country’s cuisine. Other past directing credits include the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Versus, as well as episodes of Ashley Garcia: Genius In Love, Grand Hotel, Black-ish, The Mick, LA to Vegas, Jane the Virgin, Telenovela, Devious Maids, Latinos Living the Dream, and the short films Out of the Blue and A Proper Send-Off. Longoria was nominated for a 2021 Daytime Emmy for her directing work on Ashley Garcia: Genius In Love.

In October 2023, it was announced that Longoria and leading entertainment executive and entrepreneur, Cris Abrego, have formed a new media holding company and premium content studio, Hyphenate. The content studio’s first title will be Land of Women for AppleTV+ which Longoria is set to executive produce and star opposite Carmen Maura.

The six-episode dramedy series is inspired by Sandra Barneda’s best-selling novel of the same name and follows a New York empty nester whose life is turned upside down when her husband implicates the family in financial improprieties, causing her, her aging mother and college-aged daughter to find refuge in the same charming wine town in Northern Spain her mother fled 50 years ago, vowing to never return. The innovative bilingual series is currently in production in Spain. Other past acting credits for Longoria include Grand Hotel, BoJack Horseman, Jane the Virgin, Empire, Devious Maids, Telenovela, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, The Young and the Restless, and the hit ABC series Desperate Housewives. In Desperate Housewives, Longoria captured audiences with her starring role for eight seasons opposite Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, and Marcia Cross. Her work on the series earned her and her castmates SAG Awards for “Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series” in 2005 and 2006. In 2006, she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and named the ALMA Awards’ Person of the Year.

Longoria was recently seen on the big screen in Vertical Entertainment’s Unplugging, opposite Matt Walsh, a modern romantic comedy from director Debra Neil-Fisher and in the jazz era film Sylvie’s Love, opposite Tessa Thompson, from writer-director Eugene Ashe and producer Nnamdi Asomugha. She also recently starred in Iervolino Entertainment’s anthology film Tell It Like a Woman. Tell It Like a Woman is a film by women and about women and consists of seven segments, making a feature-length film. The segments are directed by female directors from different parts of the world and were shot in Italy, India, Japan, and the USA. Other stars of the project include Cara Delevingne, Jennifer Hudson, Taraji P. Henson, and more. Longoria will also soon star in Universal’s sci-fi action film Wars of the Worlds (working title) opposite Ice Cube and directed by Rich Lee.

Through her production company UnbeliEVAble Entertainment, Longoria has become one the most significant trailblazers and recently renewed her overall deal with Twentieth Television for another three years. Founded in 2005, the company actively chooses purposeful projects that accurately represent the stories of the Latinx and other underrepresented communities. In fall 2020, it was announced that UnbeliEVAble Entertainment and ViacomCBS’ MTV Entertainment Group (MTVE) partnered on a deal as part of an initiative to give more people of color and women a shot at directing made-for-television movies. As part of this new pact, MTVE is pairing Longoria and other A-List producers with first-time BIPOC and women directors. UnbeliEVAble Entertainment recently produced their first film under the deal called Let’s Get Merried, which aired in December 2021 as part of VH1’s holiday season slate and featured a Latina first time BIPOC director, director of photography, and primarily diverse cast. The ABC series Grand Hotel was the first major network drama to feature a predominately Latinx cast and female directors. This series was part of Longoria’s mission to ‘produce with purpose’ by using a lens of equity in the crew recruitment process and aiming to showcase talent inclusive of women and people of color. In 2020 the production company produced the special Essential Heroes: A Momento Latino Event to celebrate Latinx culture, shed a light on those in the community who have been impacted by COVID-19, and highlight our essential workers for CBS. Longoria will also star in the screen adaptation of Isabel Allende’s bestselling novel The House of the Spirits for FilmNation Entertainment.

The television series is a family saga following the extraordinary lives of three generations of women in the Trueba Family, Longoria will star as Blanca Trueba, one of the passionate and courageous women leaders. Other upcoming projects include the Disney+ original series, from 20th Television, Paola Santiago and the River of Tears, currently in development and is inspired by the popular legend of La Llorona (the weeping woman) and follows teenage Paola on a quest to save her best friend from a different world steeped in Latin folklore that defy logic and legend, and the HBO film A Class Apart, which tells the incredible true story of a group of Mexican Americans fighting for their civil rights during a landmark case that leads all the way to the Supreme Court. In 2020, Longoria announced the launch of her new podcast slate in partnership with iHeart Media’s My Cultura Podcast Network. The slate includes her podcast Connections with Eva, launched in March 2022, which takes listeners back to what makes them human, discussing a variety of topics with different guests in each episode. Additional podcasts include Sisters of the Underground, launched in August 2022 and executively produced by Longoria and Dominican actress Dania Ramirez, which tells the true story of the Mirabal sisters’ courageous activism in the Dominican Republic, as well as Hungry for History, which pairs Longoria with food historian Maite Gomez-Rejón to explore delicious dishes and ingredients from Mexico and Supreme: The Battle of Roe which chronicles the landmark case and the courageous figures behind it. The company’s past credits include the Emmy Award nominated Netflix documentary Reversing Roe, Lionsgate’s John Wick, NBC’s comedy Telenovela, and the American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Awards. Longoria’s other past producing credits include Devious Maids, Mother Up!, and Ready for Love.

Named by People Magazine as one of the “Women Changing the World”, Longoria is a dedicated philanthropist and activist who has consistently lent her voice to the issues she is passionate about, ranging from immigration to reproductive rights. In 2006, she co-founded the nonprofit Eva’s Heroes, which operates out of San Antonio, Texas, and is dedicated to enriching the lives of those with intellectual special needs by providing an inclusive setting built on the tenets of: interact, grow, learn, and love. Committed to empowering Latinas everywhere, Longoria established the Eva Longoria Foundation (ELF) in 2012 to help Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through educational programs, scholarships, mentorship, and entrepreneurship. In addition to her own foundations, Longoria founded Time’s Up with Reese Witherspoon, Natalie Portman, and other leading Hollywood women; launched The MACRO Episodic Lab Powered by The Black List with Charles D. King, Lena Waithe, and Franklin Leonard to discover, support and empower storytellers of color who typically do not have access to the traditional Hollywood system; and is the co-founder of the Latino Victory Fund, which is a movement that builds power in the Latinx community to ensure their voices and values are reflected at every level of government and in the policies that drive our country forward. In March of 2023, Eva also became a part of the first-ever National Hispanic Media Coaltion’s Visionary Alliance. Longoria’s UnbeliEVAble Entertainment also partnered with TikTok and MACRO to celebrate 150 Latinx creators and emerging music artists in the inaugural TikTok Latinx creator incubator. In response to President Trump’s immigration policies, Longoria used the birth announcement of her son to bring awareness to families who have been separated at the border. Following the El Paso, Texas shootings and Mississippi ICE raids, Longoria joined forces with America Ferrera, Diane Guerrero, and Mónica Ramírez to organize #QueridaFamiliaLatina, a letter of solidarity signed by over 200 Latinx artists and community leaders that was published in The New York Times, La Opinión, El Nuevo Herald and El Diario. With Henry Muñoz she launched Momento Latino, which is a growing coalition of Latinx activists, leaders, artists, and allies lifting their voices and pushing for change for the community with so many inequities exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Together with America Ferrera, Alex Martínez Kondracke, Carmen Perez, Christy Haubegger, Elsa Collins, Jess Morales Rocketto, Mónica Ramírez, Olga Segura, and Stephanie Valencia in 2019, Longoria launched Poderistas, a new digital lifestyle community and media platform that inspires, affirms, and informs Latinas to leverage their power in a way that transforms their lives, families and community. Also in 2020 she served as host of the opening night of the Democratic National Convention, actively campaigned on behalf of Biden/Harris, working to get out the Latino vote, and participated in the official Inauguration celebrations as co-host of the primetime special Celebrating America, alongside Tom Hanks and Kerry Washington. In 2022, Longoria joined a team of Latino luminaries to form the Latino Media Network (LMN), a media company serving the Latino community, owned by Latinos for Latinos. LMN’s mission is to help Latinos make sense of the world and their place in it by inspiring, informing, and celebrating Hispanics through an audio-focused multimedia network that will reach nearly one-third of the US Latino population.

In June 2021, The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced Longoria’s election to its board of trustees, the governing body of the Academy Museum. In this position, Longoria brings her dedication, inclusiveness, education, and philanthropy toward advancing the museum’s mission. That same year, Longoria was appointed to the board of trustees of the National Museum of the American Latino by the Smithsonian Board of Regents and to the board of directors at the Television Academy Foundation. As a trustee of the National Museum of the American Latino, she will advise the Smithsonian on the Latino museum’s operations, including its collections, exhibitions, and programs. For The Television Academy Foundation’s board of directors, Longoria works closely with the foundation chair and the board to further the group’s mission of promoting inclusivity in the television industry and bridging students with diverse backgrounds to educational and professional development programs.

In September 2021, Longoria launched Casa Del Sol tequila, a luxury sipping Tequila, inspired by the magic of golden hour and the legend of the Aztec goddess of agave, Mayahuel. As a Mexican-American, she is proud to be a co-founder of a brand with authentic Mexican roots with a strong female influence. Casa Del Sol prides itself on its long-standing roots in Mexico, through its team of talented professionals who have worked under the tutelage of some of the pioneers of Tequila and whose family was instrumental in the rise of the category. Casa Del Sol was influenced by the late tequila pioneer and master distiller Francisco Alcaraz. Casa Del Sol introduces Alejandra Pelayo, Casa Del Sol’s head of production, and Mariana Padilla as the brand’s Artesana Tequilera to celebrate the “Art of Tequila”. The daughter of Paco Padilla, cultural ambassador of Jalisco, Mexico, Padilla oversees the integrity of Casa De Sol’s heritage and product development. Casa Del Sol’s tequila is made from hand-selected 100% Blue Weber agave that is sustainably grown and sourced from rich clay soil in the highlands of Jalisco, Mexico.

Longoria announced the launch of her new stove-to-table cookware line with Heyday in October 2021. The cookware line is named ‘Risa’ – which means laughter in Spanish and pays homage to Longoria’s roots. The cookware line is a natural extension of Eva’s love for food, cooking, and her heritage. The collection is designed to be multipurpose and accessible to make cooking easier and more convenient for all.

Longoria is also an original investor in Angel City FC, a female-driven soccer club founded by a mix of athletes, celebrities, and other businesswomen. A true sports fanatic, Longoria is also an investor of Club Necaxa, a Liga MC team based in Aguascalientes, Mexico. Longoria has also served as a Global Brand Ambassador for L’Oréal Paris for over 15 years. She also has a shoe line with Eobuwie and Modivo sold in Eastern Europe, and is a New York Times bestselling author for her cookbook Eva’s Kitchen.

While working full-time on Desperate Housewives, Longoria earned her master’s degree in Chicano Studies from California State University, Northridge in 2013. She wrote her thesis on “Success STEMS from Diversity: The Value of Latinas in STEM Careers.” She received her Bachelor of Science in kinesiology at Texas A&M University-Kingsville.

A native of Texas, Longoria currently resides in Los Angeles with her family.

Greta Lee

Crystal Award for Advocacy

Greta Lee

Crystal Award for Advocacy

Greta Lee can currently be seen starring in A24’s Past Lives, written and directed by Celine Song. The film premiered to rave reviews and critical acclaim at the Sundance 2023 festival, and Greta has already received a Gotham Award nomination for her performance.

Greta can also currently be seen reprising her role of ‘Stella Bak’ in season 3 of SAG nominated series, The Morning Show, opposite Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon.

Earlier this year, Greta lent her voice for Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, the sequel to Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, which released in 2019. Greta can also be seen in the critically-acclaimed Netflix comedy, Russian Doll written and executive produced by Natasha Lyonne and Amy Poehler.  The first season of Russian Doll was nominated for 13 Emmys, including Outstanding Comedy Series, with the second season set to premiere this Spring.

Greta is involved in the adaption of Cathy Park Hong’s book Minor Feelings for FX/Hulu with A24 in which she will star, write and executive produce. Christina Lee (Made For Love) is also attached to executive produce and supervise the project.

Previously, Greta starred as the memorable nail technician, “Hae-Won” opposite Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in the Universal feature, Sisters.  She also recurred as “Homeless Heidi” in the HBO comedy, High Maintenance, and has made memorable appearances on HBO’s Girls, Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer, and Broad City. Greta made her Broadway debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee in 2007.

Linda Yvette Chávez

Crystal Award for Advocacy

Linda Yvette Chávez

Crystal Award for Advocacy

Named one of the Top Latinas Changing the Game for Representation by Glamour Magazine, creator, director, writer, showrunner, and producer Linda Yvette Chávez has emerged in the entertainment industry as a powerful voice, bringing fearless, inclusive and impactful stories to the big and small screens. Also highlighted by Variety in their Comedy Impact Report alongside heavy hitters Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Tiffany Haddish, Chávez continues to break ceilings and has no plans to slow down anytime soon.

 

This year Chávez has a handful of exciting projects on the docket. First up, Chávez penned the Searchlight Pictures feature film “Flamin’ Hot,” directed by Eva Longoria. “Flamin’ Hot” premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival, winning the Audience Award and critics’ hearts in the process. Media raved “it’s a heartwarming movie at the core, it feels good to root for the underdog and win” (Austin Chronicle), “an engaging and empowering watch” (TheWrap), and “utterly delightful… equally amusing and affecting film that defies expectations” (The Hollywood Reporter). The film follows Richard Montañez, a Frito Lay janitor who channeled his Mexican American heritage and upbringing to turn Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into a snack that disrupted the food industry and became a global phenomenon. Eva tapped Chávez for her authentic voice that depicts the Mexican American experience, to execute her vision for a comedic, effervescent, and uplifting version of Montañez’s story. “Flamin’ Hot” is now streaming on Disney+ and Hulu on June 9, 2023 and marks the first time a feature film has been made available on both platforms at the same time.

 

Also in film, Chávez is currently adapting the New York Times bestselling book “I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter” by Erika L. Sanchez alongside Anonymous Content and MACRO with America Ferrera making her feature directorial debut. Chávez is also preparing to make her own directorial debut with a horror-comedy written by two up-and-coming Latino writers. The film follows four Mexican-American sisters in the ‘90s as they battle zombies to save their baby sister and their hood from the apocalypse. It’s being coined as “Shaun of the Dead” if it wore hoops and was sprayed down with AquaNet

 

In television, Chávez recently inked a multi-year overall deal with 20th Television where she is creating her own projects, as well as executive producing other dramas and comedies created by diverse voices, for all Disney platforms.

 

Chávez made her first big splash in the entertainment industry in 2020 with her groundbreaking, critically acclaimed, award nominated series “Gentefied,” which she co-created and helmed as co-showrunner, director, and executive producer. Produced by America Ferrera and MACRO, the show followed three cousins who band together to keep their grandfather’s popular Boyle Heights taco shop in business as the neighborhood becomes more gentrified.  “Gentefied” was praised for navigating larger themes of gentrification and the marginalization of Latinxs in America, and during its run was nominated for a prestigious Peabody Award, ten Imagen Foundation Awards including Best Comedy Series and Best Directing for Chávez, and a GLAAD Media Award nomination for Outstanding Comedy Series.  Seasons one and two of the show can currently be streamed on Netflix.

 

Hailing from Norwalk, California, Chávez developed her story writing talents while an undergrad at Stanford University. She went on to study Writing for Cinema and Television at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, earning her MFA and receiving the prestigious Jack Nicholson Award for merit in writing. Chávez was a Film Independent Project Involve Fellow, where she wrote and directed her second short film. She served as an adviser at the Sundance Screenwriters Lab in 2022 and 2023. There she provided ongoing support to independent storytellers in the program by helping advance the development and production of their work.

 

Chávez currently resides in the Los Angeles area.

Yara Shahidi

WIF Max Mara Face of the Future Award®

Yara Shahidi

WIF Max Mara Face of the Future Award®

Yara Shahidi is an award-winning actress, producer, and the breakout star of ABC’s Emmy and Golden Globe-nominated series black-ish. In 2019, alongside her business partner and mother, Keri Shahidi, she expanded her relationship with ABC by signing a multi-year producing deal under the moniker “7th Sun Productions.” 

Currently, she serves as executive producer and lead of Freeform’s black-ish spinoff series, grown-ish. Shahidi recently took on the role of Tinker Bell in Disney’s live-action film, Peter Pan & Wendy, and voiced a character in Netflix’s animated film, My Father’s Dragon. She also appeared in Apple’s limited series, Extrapolations, as well as executive produced and starred in the Meta interview show, Yara Shahidi’s Day Off. 

 

This fall, Shahidi will executive produce and star in the coming-of-age Amazon Studios’ film, Sitting in Bars with Cake. Based on a true story, the movie centers around female friendship, navigating life in your twenties, and dealing with loss. Shahidi will also appear in the upcoming action-thriller Ballerina Overdrive, alongside Lana Condor and Lena Headey. 

Offscreen, Shahidi is a champion for inclusive media programming and an advocate for equity. Identified as a leader of the New Hollywood guard, she has received numerous accolades for her work outside of entertainment, such as TIME Magazine’s 30 Most Influential Teens, Forbes 30 Under 30, British Vogue Forces for Change, Glamour Magazine’s Women of the Year and Essence Magazine’s Black Women in Hollywood to name a few. Inspired by her extensive work with President and First Lady Obama, Shahidi founded Eighteen x 18, now called WeVoteNext, to shine a light on Gen Z and BIPOC inclusion in the political process. A sought-after public speaker, Shahidi has appeared in conversation with university peers and thought leaders such as: Dr. Angela Davis, President Obama, Harry Belafonte Jr., former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Dr. Cornell West, Senator Cory Booker, and Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock.

 In May 2022, she graduated from Harvard University with a B.A. in Social Studies and African American Studies, with a concentration in Black Political Thought Under a Neocolonial Landscape. Her final thesis for graduation was entitled, “I AM A MAN”: The Emancipation of Humanness from Western Hegemony Through the Lens of Sylvia Wynter.

Shahidi is a global ambassador for Cartier and Dior Beauty, as well as the face of Jean Paul Gaultier’s new women’s fragrance, Gaultier Divine. This year, she served as spokesperson and judge for the New Legacy Challenge 2.0, a design competition developed through a partnership between Tommy Hilfiger’s People’s Place Program and Harlem’s Fashion Row. 

Jane Fonda

Presenter

Jane Fonda

Presenter

Jane Fonda is a two-time Academy Award-winning actor (Best Actress in 1971 for Klute and in 1978 for Coming Home), producer, author, activist, and fitness guru. Her career has spanned over 50 years, accumulating a body of film work that includes over 50 films and crucial work on behalf of political causes such as women’s rights, Native Americans, and the environment. She is a seven-time Golden Globe® winner and was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2021. Fonda also recently accepted The Harry Belafonte Voices for Social Justice Award at this year’s 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.

2023 marked a triumphant return to the big screen with four films released, most recently lending her voice as ‘Grandmama’ in DreamWorks’ animated film Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken. Before that, Fonda reunited with Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen, and Candice Bergen for Focus Features’ Book Club 2. She also starred in the highly anticipated 80 For Brady opposite Tomlin, Sally Field, and Rita Moreno released by Paramount Pictures. Then there was Paul Weitz’s Moving On for Roadside Attractions in which Fonda played opposite longtime friend and colleague, Lily Tomlin. Other notable credits include Grace & Frankie, which is Netflix’s longest running original series. It is for her work on the series that she received an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series in 2017. She also released Jane Fonda in Five Acts, a documentary for HBO chronicling her life and activism.

Fonda continues to lead the charge on the climate emergency via Fire Drill Fridays, the national movement to protest government inaction on climate change which she started in October 2019 in partnership with Greenpeace USA. In 2022 she launched the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, which is focused on defeating political allies of the fossil fuel industry. Her latest book, “What Can I Do? My Path From Climate Despair To Action” details her personal journey with the movement and provides solutions for communities to combat the climate crisis. Jane also notably celebrated her 85th birthday by raising $1 million for her nonprofit, Georgia Campaign for Adolescent Power & Potential (GCAPP).

Annie Gonzalez

Presenter

Annie Gonzalez

Presenter

Annie Gonzalez is a proud Chicana actress, singer, dancer, and East Los Angeles native. For over a decade, Gonzalez has brought her charisma, beauty, comedic timing, and strong dramatic performances to projects that continue to cement her as one of Hollywood’s new leading talents. Growing up in East Los Angeles, Gonzalez began her career in entertainment at age 10 when she became one of the original dancers on JammX Kids for Warner Brothers, and she hasn’t stopped since.

In 2020, Gonzalez landed the role of Lidia on Netflix’s hit show Gentefied. Gonzalez loved the series and role, which allowed her to shoot scenes in her hometown areas like White Memorial, Cesar Chavez Avenue, and even Mariachi Plaza, where she grew up watching her father, a talented salsero, perform frequently. Season 2 of Gentefied premiered in November 2021 to rave reviews, with IndieWire naming episode 3 one of the “Best Episodes of Television in 2021”.Gonzalez has also landed roles in popular television series such as Showtime’s Shameless, FX’s American Horror Story, Amazon’s Good Girls, and Starz’s Vida.

No stranger to the silver screen, Gonzalez can be seen in East of the Mountains as Anita Romero, alongside Mira Sorvino and Tom Skerritt. The film premiered in September 2021, directed by S.J. Chiro has received great critical praise from The New York Times, The Hollywood Reporter, Roger Ebert, and more. Gonzalez can currently be seen starring as the female lead in the 2023 Audience Choice Winner at SXSW, Eva Longoria-directed feature film, Flamin’ Hot, from Searchlight Pictures and Franklin Entertainment. Flamin’ Hot tells the inspirational life story of Richard Montañez, the Frito-Lay janitor who took inspiration from his Mexican-American heritage to develop Flamin’ Hot Cheetos into the pop culture phenomenon that disrupted the food industry. Gonzalez plays a lead role as Judy Montañez, wife to Richard Montañez, who will be played by Jesse Garcia. The film premiered on Hulu on June 9, 2023 and became the most streamed premiere ever for Searchlight Pictures. Variety named Gonzalez as a name to consider for “Best Supporting Actress” for her role in the film. Gonzalez recently finished production on Drive-Away Dolls directed by Ethan Coen, which will premiere in February 2024. She is also finishing production on the feature film Body Language, opposite Christina Milian. Up next, Gonzalez can be seen executive producing and starring as Jenni Rivera in her highly anticipated biopic. Greenlit by ViX, the film recently wrapped production in Colombia and Long Beach, CA and is set to premiere in 2024.

Gonzalez is an outspoken advocate for civil rights and Latinx culture. True to her roots, Gonzalez currently resides in East Los Angeles.

Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, Max Mara Fashion Group Omnichannel Retail Director and Global Brand Ambassador

Presenter

Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, Max Mara Fashion Group Omnichannel Retail Director and Global Brand Ambassador

Presenter

Lily Tomlin

Special Guest

Lily Tomlin

Special Guest

Lily Tomlin rose to national prominence in 1969 on the television series, Laugh-In, with her characterizations of Ernestine, the irascible telephone operator, and Edith Ann, the devilish six year old.  After Laugh-In, Tomlin went on to star in six comedy television specials. In 1977, Tomlin made her Broadway debut in Appearing Nitely, written and directed by Jane Wagner.  Tomlin next appeared on Broadway in 1985 in Wagner’s critically-acclaimed play, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe.  On film, Tomlin’s 1975 debut in Robert Altman’s Nashville was nominated for an Oscar. Over the next forty years, she has starred in over 25 movies, including Jane Wagner’s The Incredible Shrinking Woman, The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe, 9 to 5, All of Me, Big Business, The Late Show, I Heart Huckabees, Tea With Mussolini, Flirting with Disaster, A Prairie Home Companion, and the critically-acclaimed Grandma.  On television, Tomlin has been seen in many series, including The West Wing, Damages, Web Therapy, and the hit Netflix series with Jane Fonda, Grace and Frankie.  In 2022, Fonda and Tomlin starred in two films 80 fir Brady and in the Paul Weitz mystery film, Moving On.  Throughout her career, Tomlin has received nine Emmys, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, two Peabody Awards, the Mark Twain Prize, the Kennedy Center Honor and SAG Lifetime Achievement honor.   

Angelique Jackson

Moderator

Angelique Jackson

Moderator

Angelique Jackson is a senior entertainment writer for Variety, based in Los Angeles. During her tenure with Variety, Jackson has won two National Arts & Entertainment Journalism awards, two Southern California Journalism awards, a Webby award and is currently nominated for the IGC Publicists press award. Prior to joining Variety, Jackson worked as a producer for Entertainment Tonight, winning three Daytime Emmy awards for her work. She is a graduate of the Grady College of Journalism at the University of Georgia with a degree in Broadcast News.

Janice Min

Moderator

Janice Min

Moderator

Janice Min is editor in chief of The Ankler, and CEO of Ankler Media. Previously, Min was the longtime co-president of the Hollywood Reporter-Billboard Entertainment Group, where she engineered a publishing rebirth of The Hollywood Reporter hailed as a “stunning transformation” by the New York Times. Min has won two National Magazine Awards for general excellence and been nominated five times, was named Adweek’s Editor of the Year and was honored with her alma mater Columbia Journalism School’s Alumni Award, where she also sits on the board.