Michaela Coel has been enlisted among the bracket of comic actresses slated to receive the 2021 Variety’s Power of Women The Comedians, honorary prize presented by Lifetime.
Coel will be honoured alongside Mindy Kaling, Maya Rudolph, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sofia Vergara and Kate McKinnon.
“Variety’s Power of Women 2021 honors creative leaders in comedy who inspire us with their courage and originality and challenge us to transform a world desperately in need of positive change. In six wonderfully personal, dynamic ways, Mindy Kaling, Maya Rudolph, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Sofía Vergara, Michaela Coel, and Kate McKinnon use laughter to make serious points. All of them create art that works both as entertainment and as engagement with the issues we’re all facing with these difficult times,” said Michelle Sobrino-Stearns, Variety President and Group Publisher.
She added, “We are also thrilled to be able to honor the life and impact of the legendary Gilda Radner and the wonderful work Gilda’s Club does with cancer patients and their families. Once again, we are grateful to continue to work with Lifetime to make this special a reality and to be able to bring this iconic event for yet another year to a wider global audience.”
The event is slated to take place on May 10, 2021 in a one-hour special. Each honoree will be interviewed by a close family or friend.
2021 Golden Globe co-host, Tina Fey will also present a tribute to comedy legend Gilda Radner and the foundation for cancer patients and their families that was established in her honor, Gilda’s Club Metro Detroit.
Despite the heavy Globe snub with ‘I May Destroy You’ Coel’s brilliance and contribution to something new in Hollywood (storytelling wise) has been well-received by the NAACP and Screen Actor’s Guild Awards. Coel won for Outstanding writing in a comedy series at the former, while she received a best actress in a limited series mention at the latter.
Previous Power of Women honorees include Cate Blanchett, Patti LuPone, Janelle Monae, Brie Larson, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Aniston, Laverne Cox, Jennifer Garner, Tiffany Haddish, Gigi Hadid, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Nicole Kidman, Blake Lively, Helen Mirren and Natalie Portman, among others.
Lifetime Presents Variety’s Power of Women The Comedians, is executive produced by Sharon Scott, Kristy Sabat and Annie Allen of The Category 6 Media™ group. Lifetime executive producers are Amy Winter and Shura Davison. Michelle Sobrino-Stearns will Executive Produce from Variety, while John Ross and Dea Lawrence are Producers.
