TheWrap senior film reporter Brian Welk won a New York Press Club Award for Best Entertainment News – Internet, the organization announced Tuesday.
Welk was recognized for his three-part “Spotlight on Deaf Actors” series, published last August. The first piece, “Are Deaf Actors and Stories Finally Breaking Through in Hollywood?” explored new opportunities for deaf performers in projects like “A Quiet Place,” “Eternals” and the Oscar-winning “CODA.”
A second story, “How American Sign Language Masters Are Transforming the Culture for Deaf Actors,” discussed the role that on-set experts on deaf culture and American Sign Language help smooth the path for accurate representation of deaf life on screen.
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And a final story, “Why Hearing Actors Playing Deaf Characters Still Sparks Backlash,” examined the increasing tension when hearing actors are cast in roles about deaf characters.
Welk, who joined TheWrap in 2016 as a web production assistant, is a graduate of Indiana University at Bloomington with a master’s degree in arts journalism from the University of Southern California.
In February, TheWrap picked up two awards at the Los Angeles Press Club’s 14th annual National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards. TheWrap founder and editor in chief Sharon Waxman won top honors for personal entertainment blog for her WaxWord column. “Waxman tackles the inner workings and failings of the entertainment industry with a sharp wit and a sharp tongue, challenging the powers that be in a way that is refreshing and knowledgeable, beckoning her readers to look past Hollywood’s glamorous veil,” the judges wrote.
In addition, photographer Christian Friis and creative director Ada Guerin won in the portrait category for a shot of “Succession” star Jeremy Strong.
