By Mary Murphy & Michele Willens

It was a year like no other. Cameras were turned off, theaters went dark, deals were halted and dreams were put on hold. And then there was the necessary reckoning engendered by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor.

The entertainment community took on the role of second responders: Reunions of TV and movie casts and virtual performances of all types raised awareness of and funds for heroic health care providers. At the same time, almost every media entity looked closely at staffs and projects to make sure that the reel reflected the real.