CLAIRE FOY AND CHUCK LORRE TO RECEIVE SPECIAL HONORS
AT THE 24TH ANNUAL CRITICS’ CHOICE AWARDS

FOY WILL BE RECOGNIZED WITH THIS YEAR’S #SEEHER AWARD,
LORRE WILL RECEIVE THE CRITICS’ CHOICE CREATIVE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

GALA EVENT WILL AIR LIVE ON THE CW NETWORK SUNDAY, JANUARY 13, 2019
FROM THE BARKER HANGAR IN SANTA MONICA

(Los Angeles, CA – December 14, 2018) – Actress Claire Foy and producer Chuck Lorre will receive very special honors at the 24th annual Critics’ Choice Awards gala, the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) announced today. 

Also a Critics’ Choice Awards nominee for Best Supporting Actress in “First Man,” Foy will accept the #SeeHer Award.  The creator of such acclaimed TV comedies as “The Big Bang Theory,” “Mom,” “Young Sheldon” and “The Kominsky Method” (which all received Critics’ Choice Award nominations earlier this week), Lorre will receive the Critics’ Choice Creative Achievement Award.

The star-studded Critics’ Choice Awards will be broadcast live on The CW Network on Sunday, January 13th, from 7 – 10 p.m. ET (delayed PT).

The #SeeHer Award recognizes a woman who embodies the values set forth by the #SeeHer movement — to push boundaries on changing stereotypes and recognize the importance of authentic portrayals of women across the entertainment landscape.  #SeeHer is spearheaded by the ANA (Association of National Advertisers), the largest marketing and advertising association in the United States.  The mission of #SeeHer is to accurately portray all women and girls in media so that by 2020, the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote, they see themselves reflected as they truly are. Previous award recipients are Viola Davis and Gal Gadot. 

“We are very honored to recognize this acclaimed actress with our third annual #SeeHer Award,” said ANA CEO Bob Liodice. “Claire has delivered many powerful, compelling performances on TV and film, including The Crown, The Girl in the Spider’s Web and First Man. Her portrayals of such strong female characters is an inspiration for our movement.”

“It’s wonderful to see Claire Foy receive this award,” said Fiona Carter, chief brand officer, AT&T Communications. “When we shine a light on stories that ring true for all women, and celebrate the creators bringing them to life, we come a step closer to a world in which women are authentically portrayed in media and popular culture. It’s why AT&T, as one of the largest advertisers in the country, is proud to support the #SeeHer movement.” 

The Critics’ Choice Creative Achievement Award recognizes a body of work that stands out for its sustained excellence over a period of decades on programs that have delighted huge audiences with tremendous laughter and clever insights into the human condition.  Chuck Lorre’s creative achievements rank with greatest television producers of all time with an incredible string of hit sitcoms dating back to “Grace Under Fire,” “Roseanne,” “Dharma & Greg,” “Mike & Molly,” and “Two and a Half Men” that shows no sign of letting up.

“`The Big Bang Theory’ has been called the most successful television comedy ever, so it seems like the perfect time to honor Chuck as that show gets ready to ride off into the sunset,” said BFCA President Joey Berlin.  “Thankfully, we still have ‘Mom,’ ‘Young Sheldon,’ and his latest gift to comedy lovers, `The Kominsky Method’ going strong to help us get over the loss.  For a quarter of a century Chuck has been keeping us in stitches with comedies of remarkable hilarity and consistency, delighting viewers and critics alike.”

Claire Foy has a diverse and exceptional range of work across television, film and theater.  In addition to “First Man,” last fall Foy starred as Lisbeth Salander in Sony Pictures Entertainment’s “The Girl in the Spider’s Web.”  Foy was recently seen in Steven Soderbergh’s psychological horror film “Unsane” as Sawyer Valentini.  The entire film was shot on an iPhone 7, and received critical acclaim for both Foy’s performance and for Soderbergh’s fresh vision.

Prior to this, Foy was seen in season two of Netflix’s critically acclaimed series “The Crown” about Britain’s Royal Family.  Starring in the much-coveted role of Queen Elizabeth II, her performance won her a Golden Globe Award, an Emmy and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, along with two British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Television Award nominations.  Foy was also seen in “Breathe” alongside Andrew Garfield in October 2017, directed by Andy Serkis and written by William Nicholson – a remarkable story of Robin and Diana Cavendish, who navigate life after he is struck down with paralyzing polio.

Also well known for her incredible television roles, Foy has been on our small screens since she made a name for herself in the titular role of the critically acclaimed BBC adaptation “Little Dorrit.”  The drama won Outstanding Miniseries at the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009, and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television.  That same year, Foy’s performance earned her a nomination for Best Actor (Female) at the Royal Television Society Awards. 

Chuck Lorre co-created and serves as executive producer of the blockbuster comedy “The Big Bang Theory,” the critically acclaimed comedy “Mom” and the acclaimed hit comedy “Young Sheldon,” all for CBS, and he created/executive produces the new Netflix comedy “The Kominsky Method,” which stars Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin. Lorre also co-created/executive produced the Netflix comedy “Disjointed,” starring Academy Award® and Emmy® winner Kathy Bates. He previously was executive producer of the hit sitcom “Mike & Molly” and co-created/executive produced the long-running hit comedy “Two and a Half Men.” Before that, he created hits such as “Cybill,” “Dharma & Greg” and “Grace Under Fire,” and also served as co-executive producer on “Roseanne.” In 2009, Lorre received the NATPE Brandon Tartikoff Legacy Award, was named Television Showman of the Year at the 46th Annual ICG Publicists Awards Ceremony and was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2012, he was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame, and in 2016, he was inducted into the NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) Hall of Fame.

In 2015, The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation (TCLFF) established “The Big Bang Theory” Scholarship Endowment at UCLA to support undergraduate students in need of financial aid who are pursuing their higher education in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). And in 2018, continuing its commitment to fund innovative efforts in STEM education, TCLFF announced the creation of a new grant program — THE YOUNG SHELDON STEM INITIATIVE — inspired by the hit comedy series “Young Sheldon.” The program was created to foster excitement for learning in STEM fields, specifically in support of our nation’s public schools, teachers and students.

“Critics’ Choice Awards” are bestowed annually by the BFCA and BTJA to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement.  The BFCA is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 300 television, radio and online critics. BFCA members are the primary source of information for today’s film-going public. BTJA is the collective voice of journalists who regularly cover television for TV viewers, radio listeners and online audiences. Historically, the “Critics’ Choice Awards” are the most accurate predictor of the Academy Award nominations.

The 24th annual Critics’ Choice Awards show will be produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment.  The BFCA and BTJA are represented by Dan Black of Greenberg Traurig and WME.

To apply for PRESS credentials for this event, interested outlets can visit:
PRESS CREDENTIAL – 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards
DEADLINE:  THURSDAY, JANUARY 3, 2019 

To apply for PUBLICIST credentials for this event, interested publicists can visit:
PUBLICIST CREDENTIAL – 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards
DEADLINE: FRIDAY, JANUARY 4, 2019

About BFCA/BTJA
The Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA) is the largest film critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 300 television, radio and online critics. The Broadcast Television Journalists Association (BTJA) is a partner organization to the BFCA and includes TV, radio and Internet journalists who cover television on a regular basis. For more information, visit: www.CriticsChoice.com.

Follow the 24th annual Critics’ Choice Awards on Twitter and Instagram @CriticsChoice and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards. 

About The CW:
THE CW TELEVISION NETWORK launched in 2006 as America’s fifth broadcast network, with programming targeting younger viewers, a demographic highly sought after by advertisers. The CW, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Entertainment and CBS Corporation, broadcasts a six-night, 12-hour primetime lineup, Sunday through Friday. The CW’s primetime programming is also available to stream for free, without authentication, on the ad-supported cwtv.com and The CW app, now available on every major OTT platform. In daytime, The CW broadcasts a Monday through Friday afternoon block, and a three-hour Saturday morning kids block. The CW’s digital network, CW Seed, launched in 2013, and offers original short-form digital content as well as past seasons of fan-favorite television series. For more information about the network and its programming, visit www.cwtvpr.com.

About the #SeeHer Movement
Despite the strides made to accurately portray women and girls in media, an unconscious bias persists against women and girls in advertising, media, and programming. The Association of National Advertisers (ANA) launched the #SeeHer initiative in June 2016 in a partnership with The Female Quotient (TFQ) at the United State of Women. SeeHer’s mission is to increase the accurate portrayals of women and girls in media 20 percent by 2020, the 100th anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment, which gave American women the right to vote. The group developed a Gender Equality Measure (GEM™) to track progress and the marketing effect of removing unconscious bias from ads and programming. High GEM™ scores directly correlate to improved ROI. GEM™ won the 2017 ESOMAR Research Effectiveness Award. The methodology became the industry standard in the U.S., which led to a global rollout in 2018. For more information, visit www.SeeHer.com, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

About the Association of National Advertisers (ANA)
The ANA (Association of National Advertisers) makes a difference for individuals, brands, and the industry by driving growth, advancing the interests of marketers, and promoting and protecting the well-being of the marketing community. Founded in 1910, the ANA provides leadership that advances marketing excellence and shapes the future of the industry. The ANA’s membership includes more than 1,700 companies with 25,000 brands that engage almost 150,000 industry professionals and collectively spend or support more than $400 billion in marketing and advertising annually. The membership is comprised of more than 1,000 clientside marketers and more than 700 marketing solutions provider members, which include leading marketing data science and technology suppliers, ad agencies, law firms, consultants, and vendors. Further enriching the ecosystem is the work of the nonprofit ANA Educational Foundation (AEF), which has the mission of enhancing the understanding of advertising and marketing within the academic and marketing communities.

CONTACTS:

Andy Gelb/Elyse Weissman
SLATE PR
310-461-0111
andy@slate-pr.com / elyse@slate-pr.com

Jodi Karp
The CW
818-977-2609
Jodi.Karp@cwtv.com