“American Horror Story” mastermind Ryan Murphy will be honored with the Vito Russo Award at the upcoming 31st Annual GLAAD Media Awards, the organization announced Thursday.
The award will be presented to him by Sarah Paulson and Matt Bomer.
Per GLAAD, “The Vito Russo Award is presented to an openly LGBTQ media professional who has made a significant difference in accelerating LGBTQ acceptance. The Award is named after Vito Russo, a founder of GLAAD and celebrated ACT UP activist, who pushed open the door for news and entertainment industries to include LGBTQ performers and stories.”
Previous recipients of the award include Billy Porter, Anderson Cooper, Ricky Martin, Andy Cohen, Cynthia Nixon, RuPaul, Rosie O’Donnell, Tom Ford, Samira Wiley, Thomas Roberts, George Takei, Alan Cumming, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, among others.
“Ryan Murphy is a talented trailblazer behind some of the most innovative and popular LGBTQ projects in television, theater and film history, and he continues to bring underrepresented LGBTQ voices to the table in ways that raise the bar in Hollywood,” GLAAD President and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement Thursday. “Ryan’s unique and gifted brand of storytelling has not only entertained the masses, but provided LGBTQ youth with characters who inspire them to live boldly and proudly.”
In addition to receiving the Vito Russo honor at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards, the prolific producer is also nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series for Netflix’s “The Politician” and Outstanding Drama Series for FX’s “Pose.”
He has previously won GLAAD Media Awards for “Pose,” “The Normal Heart,” “American Horror Story: Asylum,” “The New Normal,” “Popular” and the “Assassination of Gianni Versace – American Crime Story.” Murphy also received six nominations and two wins for “Glee.” His other GLAAD Media Award nominated projects include “Feud: Bette and Joan,” “Glee Project,” “American Horror Story: Cult,” “American Horror Story: Apocalypse,” and the film “Running With Scissors.”
Events for the GLAAD Media Awards will be held in New York on Thursday, March 19, 2020 and on Thursday, April 16, 2020, at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Murphy will be honored at NYC ceremony. You can see a full list of the nominees here.