Greg Berlanti, Jennifer Aniston to Be Honored by SAG-AFTRA Foundation

Greg Berlanti and Jennifer Aniston will be honored at the SAG-AFTRA Foundation’s upcoming 4th Annual Patron of the Artists Awards in November. They join previously announced honorees Ava DuVernay and Mark Ruffalo.

Berlanti and DuVernay, two of the most prolific writer/director/producers in the industry, will receive the Foundation’s two Patron of the Artists Awards for “creating significant professional opportunities for performing artists to work and thrive,” according to a Foundation press release issued Thursday.

Aniston and Ruffalo’s philanthropic contributions will be recognized with the two Artists Inspiration Awards of the evening.

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“We are honored to present Jennifer Aniston with one of our Artists Inspiration Awards at this year’s Patron of the Artists Awards. Her celebrated iconic roles in television and film are beloved by audiences all over the world, but it is her philanthropy and genuine empathy for people in need that we will honor on November 7. From her tireless work as a spokesperson for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to her advocacy work for cancer research, Jennifer sets a sterling example for all artists to use their influence to give back to others,” said JoBeth Williams, SAG-AFTRA Foundation Board President.

“We are also thrilled to be honoring Greg Berlanti, one of the most prolific writers, directors and producers working in Hollywood today, with one of our Patron of the Artists Awards,” Williams added. “Greg has discovered, nurtured and propelled creative talent in front of the camera and below the line. With an astounding 18 scripted series to his credit, Greg’s ensemble-based shows have launched the careers of countless actors. His creative contributions to the industry not only create new narrative universes, but they are responsible for generating hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs in Hollywood.”

Previous SAG-AFTRA Foundation Patron of the Artists Award honorees include Ted Sarandos, Spike Lee, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Lee Daniels, Kathryn Bigelow, Judd Apatow, Megan Ellison and Rob Marshall. Previous SAG-AFTRA Foundation Artists Inspiration Award honorees include Lady Gaga, Harrison Ford, Kate Winslet, Lionel Richie and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The annual awards show will benefit the non-profit SAG-AFTRA Foundation and will not be televised. The Foundation benefits emergency assistance and free educational programs for SAG-AFTRA artists as well as the children’s literacy program Storyline Online.

The Best and Worst Moments of the 71st Emmy Awards (Photos)

With the 2019 Emmy Awards in the can, here are some of the highs and lows of this year's awards show.
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Worst: Homer Simpson Messes Up His Emmys Hosting Gig We were told the Emmys were going host-less this year... and maybe they should have. Homer was introduced as the "host" before walking out on stage and... falling through a hole in the stage. Anthony Anderson was speaking for all of us when he yelled: “What the hell was that?”
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Best: Anthony Anderson's Mom Saves the Intro Luckily, Anderson and his mom saved us from sitting through a completely forgettable opening number.
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Best: Ike Baranholz and Maya Rudolph Get Lasik Eye Surgery at the Worst Time C'mon guys, just let Maya host the Emmys (and every other award show) next year.
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Worst: Thomas Lennon's Commentary During Winner Walk-Ups Fox added Thomas Lennon to the broadcast to provide funny tidbits about the winners while they walked to the stage to give their speeches. Here's all you need to know: Midway through, he said, "This is why people don't do this, because it sucks!" Though we'll give him a little credit for a solid Felicity Huffman joke.
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Best: Patricia Arquette Calls for Trans Rights in Moving Tribute to Her Late Sister During her acceptance speech for Supporting Actress in a Limited Series, Arquette paid tribute to her late sister, Alexis, who died in 2016. "Trans people are still being persecuted... They’re human beings, let’s give them jobs."
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Best: ‘When They See Us’ Star Jharrel Jerome Honors the ‘Exonerated Five’ It was a night of moving acceptance speeches, with Jerome paying tribute to the "Exonerated Five," the new moniker given to the men once dubbed the “Central Park Five."
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Best: Michelle Williams Thanks 'Fosse/Verdon' Bosses “I see this as an acknowledgement of what is possible when a woman is trusted to discern her own needs, [and] feels safe enough to voice them,” Williams said following her win for Lead Actress in a Limited Series.
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Worst: Adam Devine's Solo Number It just didn't add anything. We prefer his stellar work in "The Righteous Gemstones."
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Best: Billy Porter Quotes James Baldwin as He Makes Emmy History The "Pose" star made history as the first openly gay black man to win an Emmy for lead actor in a drama series. Quoting author James Baldwin in his speech, Porter said, “It took many years of vomiting up all the filth that I had been taught about myself and halfway believed before I could walk around this earth like I had the right to be here.”
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