The Entertainment Community Fund will honor Oscar winner Ariana DeBose during the Fund's Annual Gala April 21 at the New York Marriott Marquis.
The stage and screen star joins previously announced honorees Tony and Academy Award
winner Denzel Washington and theatre owner and producer James L.
Nederlander, who will all receive the Entertainment Community Fund Medal of Honor.
The Medal of Honor was inaugurated May 9, 1910, when it was first presented to President William Howard Taft. The award was revived in 1958, and since 1992, when Shubert Organization President Bernard B. Jacobs was recognized, the award has been presented at the annual fundraising gala.
“We are thrilled for Ariana DeBose to complete this year’s exciting group of honorees,” said Joe Benincasa, president and CEO of the Entertainment Community Fund, in a statement. “Ariana, Denzel, and Jimmy are an especially passionate trio of artistic leaders who have changed the landscape of the entertainment industry. It is an honor to recognize them with the Fund’s Medal of Honor.”
The upcoming celebration will begin at 6 PM ET with cocktails, followed by dinner and tributes at 7 PM. Special guests will be announced at a later date.
Proceeds from the annual gala, honoring entertainment professionals
working in film, television, theatre, music, and dance, support the
Fund’s
programs that provide a safety net
over the lifespan of members of the performing arts and entertainment
industry nationwide.
DeBose won the Academy Award for her performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s reimagining of West Side Story. She was seen on Broadway in a Tony-nominated turn in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Hamilton, and A Bronx Tale. DeBose hosted the 75th, 76th, and 77th Annual Tony Awards, and her screen credits also include Schmigadoon!, Argylle, and I.S.S.
From his Oscar-winning performances in Glory and Training Day to his Tony-winning work in Fences, Washington has been a leading force in acting, directing, and producing for four decades. He will soon return to Broadway in a revival of Othello opposite Jake Gyllenhaal, directed by Kenny Leon, and produced by Brian Anthony Moreland.
Nederlander, who is president and chief executive officer of The Nederlander Organization, leads a family business that began in 1912 and now encompasses every aspect of the live entertainment industry from venue ownership and management, theatrical producing, concert presentation, concessions, and patron services. Nederlander is also a committed leader and philanthropist.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit EntertainmentCommunity.org/Gala2025.
