On Sunday, February 23, Hilton hosted the American Black Film Festival Honors awards ceremony and dinner at the Beverly Hilton hotel to celebrate influential artists and creators for their distinguished contributions to American entertainment.
During the evening, the American Black Film Festival recognized Academy Award-winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. with the Hollywood Legacy Award; screenwriter, Emmy-winning producer, actress and writer Lena Waithe with the Industry Renaissance Award; actor, singer and producer Jamie Foxx with the Excellence in the Arts Award; Academy Award-nominated actress Cynthia Erivo with the Rising Star Award and television series, The Wire, was presented with the Classic Television Award.
“Hilton is proud to once again partner with the American Black Film Festival to celebrate the rich diversity of talent and creators in Hollywood and recognize the impact of their work in the entertainment industry,” said Andréa Richardson, Head of Multicultural Engagement at Hilton.
“It is my honor to be able to play the true part of a community partner tonight by welcoming our Rising Star,” said Richardson during her address to the audience on behalf of Hilton. “Congratulations again to Cynthia Erivo for this much-deserved recognition, and congratulations to all of the future rising stars to come. Hilton looks forward to welcoming you.”
Additional guests in attendance included many of Hollywood’s best and brightest including actress Tiffany Haddish, actress Sheryl Lee Ralph and director Melina Matsoukas, with surprise appearances from Academy Award-winning actors Leonardo DiCaprio and Morgan Freeman. Actor and comedian Deon Cole served as the host for the evening.
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