Industry Leaders Pearlena Igbokwe, Alex Kurtzman, And Warner Bros. Television Group To Be Honored At The 4th Annual AFFCA TV Honors

Valerie Complex
·3 min read
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The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced its special achievement honorees for the 4th Annual AAFCA TV Honors who will be celebrated at an invitation-only, in-person luncheon on August 20th at the SLS Hotel in Los Angeles. 

Launched in 2019 with tremendous success, the AAFCA TV Honors recognize outstanding achievement in television and streaming with a special emphasis on entertainment representing the Black diaspora. The organization will bestow special achievement honors to several industry leaders including Universal Studio Group Chairman Pearlena Igbokwe who will receive the Ashley Boone Award, Alex Kurtzman who will receive AAFCA’s Ally Award, and AAFCA’s Inclusion Award will go to the Warner Bros. Television Group. WBTVG Chairman Channing Dungey will accept the award on behalf of the studio.

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On July 18th, AAFCA will announce winners in 14 categories, including best actor, best actress, best comedy series, best drama series and more. Those winners will be recognized and celebrated alongside the honorees at the August 20th event.

Morgan Stanley is once again the presenting sponsor of the AAFCA TV Honors. Over the past several years, Morgan Stanley has served as a dedicated supporter of AAFCA’s ongoing efforts and activities. “It remains a key mission for our company to support the creative community and platforms that amplify Black voices,” stated Sandra L. Richards, Head of Morgan Stanley Global Sports & Entertainment and Segment Sales & Engagement. “We’re proud to once again join AAFCA in celebrating the achievements of these extraordinary individuals and organizations.”

 “AAFCA is so excited to be honoring Pearlena, Alex and Warner Bros. Television Group for their achievements,” stated AAFCA co-founder and president Gil Robertson IV. “In the ever-changing landscape of television, their creativity and progressive leadership is the foundation on which our industry is built and provides inspiration to all of us.”

 PEARLENA IGBOKWE – ASHLEY BOONE AWARD RECIPIENT  

Named after the trailblazing studio executive Ashley A. Boone, this award is presented to an executive who has distinguished themselves within the industry with excellence. Igbokwe is Chairman, Universal Studio Group (USG), where she leads four powerhouse studios: Universal Television, Universal Content Productions (UCP), Universal Television Alternative Studio and Universal International Studios that produce over 3,000 hours of programming currently airing or streaming around the globe. Notable USG projects under her purview include Hacks, Russian Doll, Never Have I Ever, Girls5eva, The Equalizer, The Umbrella Academy, Dr. Death, Gaslit, Made in Chelsea, Clickbait, We Are Lady Parts, Making It and Hollywood Game Night.

ALEX KURTZMAN – ALLY AWARD RECIPIENT

The Ally Award is presented to an individual or company in recognition of their commitment to diversity/inclusion in their projects. Alex Kurtzman is one of the leading creative voices in the entertainment industry. Through his production company, Secret Hideout and his work as an executive producer, writer and director, Kurtzman is dedicated to developing and producing a wide array of sophisticated and compelling content across all platforms. Kurtzman’s credits include the award-winning Star-Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds  and The Man Who Fell To Earth. He’s co-written some of the decade’s biggest films including Star Trek, Star Trek: Into Darkness, The Amazing Spider Man 2, Transformers, and directing films such as The Mummy and People Like Us.

ABOUT WARNER BROS. TELEVISION GROUP – INCLUSION AWARD RECIPIENT

The Inclusion Award recognizes an organization with a demonstrable commitment to inclusion in their programming and corporate activities. Warner Bros. Television Group (WBTVG) oversees and grows the entire portfolio of Warner Bros.’ television businesses, including live-action scripted and unscripted programming, as well as animation. WBTVG production divisions include Warner Bros. Television, which produces live-action scripted comedies, dramas, limited series, and original movies; Warner Bros. Unscripted Television, which delivers unscripted and alternative series, documentaries, talk shows, and podcasts through three production units, Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, Telepictures, and Shed Media; and animated series from Warner Bros. Animation, Cartoon Network Studios, and Hanna-Barbera Studios Europe. As of July 2022, these divisions are producing more than 110 series for Warner Bros. Discovery’s HBO Max, external streaming services, cable, the broadcast networks, and the first-run syndication marketplace in the U.S. Select current signature WBTVG programs include Abbott Elementary, All American, All American: Homecoming, All Rise, The Bachelor franchise, Bob♥Abishola, The Cleaning Lady, Craig of the Creek, The Flash, The Flight Attendant, Gossip Girl, Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai, The Jennifer Hudson Show, Kung Fu, Mathis Family Matters, Queen Sugar, The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip, Riverdale, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Ted Lasso, Titans, The Voice, Young Sheldon, and more.

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