Queen Latifah and Mary J. Blige Round Out Hollywood's African American "It" Women For 2010The 3rd annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon will be held during Oscar Week on March 4, 2010 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Honoring four extraordinary women making a significant impact in Hollywood, this star-studded event commemorates ESSENCE magazine's annual Hollywood issue and will pay tribute to a special milestone in 2010; the 40th Anniversary of ESSENCE magazine.
The esteemed honorees for the 2010 event include: Queen Latifah (Power Award), Zoe Saldana (Star to Watch Award), Mary J. Blige (Songstress of the Year) and Gabourey Sidibe (Best Breakthrough Performance).
"Our annual Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon is taking on special meaning in 2010 as we are celebrating the 40th Anniversary of ESSENCE magazine by paying homage to phenomenal women throughout the year," said ESSENCE editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray. "We are proud to carry the ESSENCE legacy into the future by honoring the accomplishments of such brilliant performers as Latifah, Zoe, Mary J., and Gabourey, whose incredible talent and sheer grit are serving to change the face of Hollywood."
Queen Latifah is not only a celebrated television and film actress, but also a gifted musician, as well as an established author and entrepreneur. As a one-woman entertainment conglomerate, Latifah's rise has been nothing short of remarkable--landing her a place in history as the first hip-hop artist to be given a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. Her production company, Flavor Unit Entertainment, is currently co-producing the sports-driven romantic comedy, Just Wright, in which she will also star.
Zoe Saldana has shown she can hold her own in major blockbuster productions and has proven herself to be an amazing Hollywood star on the rise. After landing her first leading role as a ballet dancer in the film Center Stage, her turn as a leading lady in both the college-set drama Drumline and romantic comedy Guess Who followed shortly thereafter. Over the past decade, Saldana has grown into stand-out performances in popular films such as Avatar and Star Trek and continues to demonstrate the versatility necessary for longevity in Hollywood.
As one of the greatest singers of our time, Mary J. Blige's accomplishments are beyond impressive. A multi-faceted mogul and philanthropist, with a career spanning 15 years--including nine Grammy awards, eight multi-platinum records, and over 40 million albums sold--she has lent her tremendous talent this year to the official soundtracks for two powerful films with original songs: "I Can See in Color" from Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire and "Stronger" from the Lebron James documentary, More than a Game.
Gabourey 'Gabby' Sidibe has wowed the public and taken the industry by storm with her compelling breakthrough role as the title character in Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire, which is garnering serious awards buzz. With the film winning numerous prestigious awards, including the Sundance Film Festival Audience and Grand Jury Awards, it's been a whirlwind year for the young actress, who was a student pursuing a degree in psychology when she was cast in Precious. A native New Yorker, Sidibe is the daughter of R&B/gospel singer Alice Tan Ridley. Next up for Gabourey is the Showtime pilot The C-Word opposite Laura Linney for director Bill Condon and the film, Yelling to the Sky.
The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon is an annual event to honor African-American women, who through their work in Hollywood--both in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes--have helped to change and inspire positive images of Black women in television and film.
The inaugural event, which took place in 2008, honored Jada Pinkett-Smith (Power Award), Ruby Dee (Legend Award), Suzanne de Passe (Visionary Award) and Jurnee Smollett (Star to Watch Award), and hosted A-List stars including Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Kerry Washington, Star Jones and more.
In 2009, celebrities such as Terrence Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, and Queen Latifah, to name a few, were on hand to fete honorees including Halle Berry (Power Award), Diahann Carroll (Legend Award), Gina Prince-Bythewood (Visionary Award), and Taraji P. Henson (Star to Watch Award), with a posthumous honor given to Eartha Kitt.