Meryl Streep to Present Amal Clooney with Prestigious Freedom Award at Event Hosted by Lester Holt

Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Leon Neal/Getty Meryl Streep; Amal Clooney

Meryl Streep is showing her support for the freedom of the press by honoring Amal Clooney at the prestigious CPJ International Press Freedom Awards.

The Oscar-winning actress, 71, will present the human rights lawyer, 42, with the 2020 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award during an online award ceremony on Nov. 19.

The award ceremony will showcase the work of this year’s awardees — which include four journalists from Bangladesh, Iran, Nigeria and Russia who have faced arrest or prosecution for their work.

Streep will highlight Clooney’s work as counsel for many journalists under threat.

“In times of unprecedented uncertainty, it’s journalists who are out there, gathering the facts and trying to help us make sense of it all,” Streep said. “By asking tough questions, and pursuing the truth at any cost, they are essential workers — serving the public and protecting democracy.”

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“That’s why I’m proud to take part in this year’s International Press Freedom Awards and to continue supporting the vital work of the Committee to Protect Journalists,” she added.

Clooney will also be interviewed by reporter and 2018 Gwen Ifill Awardee Maria Ressa. The lawyer previously defended Ressa when she was persecuted in her home country of the Philippines for reporting on government corruption.

The award ceremony will be hosted by NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt. He’ll be joined by several other notable journalists such as Christiane Amanpour, Margaret Brennan, David Muir, Yamiche Alcindor and others.

Rosamund Pike, Samantha Bee and journalist Ronan Farrow will be included in calls to support press freedom.

The 2020 International Press Freedom Awards will be broadcast online at www.ipfa2020.org as well as NBC News, CBS News and ABC News on Nov. 19 at 8 p.m. EST.