Sally Field to Host 2016 Women's Media Awards This September

The Women's Media Center is proud to announce our host and honorees for the 2016 Women's Media Awards, to be held on September 29, 2016, at Capitale in New York City.

The event will be hosted for the first time by Sally Field, the two-time Academy Award-winning and multiple Emmy-winning star of "Hello, My Name is Doris," who will be returning to Broadway in March 2017 starring as Amanda in Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie." Gayle King, co-anchor of "CBS This Morning" and three-time Emmy winner, will give the opening remarks at the awards.

The honorees will be:

Samantha Bee, host of TBS' "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee"; longtime correspondent on "The Daily Show"; co-creator of the upcoming sitcom "The Detour"; and author, who will receive the Women's Media Center History Making Award.

Salma Hayek Pinault, Academy Award, Golden Globe, SAG, and BAFTA nominated actor; Emmy-winning director; award-winning producer; co-founder of CHIME FOR CHANGE; and activist, who will receive the Women's Media Center Sisterhood is Global Award.

Joy Reid, political analyst for MSNBC; host of "AM Joy"; and author, who will receive the Women's Media Center Carol Jenkins Visible and Powerful Media Award.

Anita Sarkeesian, award-winning creator and executive director of Feminist Frequency; host of video series "Tropes vs. Women in Video Games"; media critic; blogger; and public speaker, who will receive the Women's Media Center Digital Media Award.

Regina K. Scully, three-time Emmy-winning and two-time Academy Award-nominated producer; executive producer, founder and CEO of Artemis Rising Foundation; founder and CEO of RPR Marketing Communications; and activist, who will receive the Women's Media Center Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award.

The announcement was made by Jane Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem, co-founders of the Women's Media Center.

The Women's Media Awards recognize and honor game-changers for women in media. By deciding who gets to talk, what creates the debate, who writes, and what is important enough to be visible, the media shapes our understanding of who we are and what we can be. The Women's Media Awards shine a light on this important issue.

"I am delighted that Sally Field will be joining us to host our gala this year," says Women's Media Center co-founder Robin Morgan. "Not only is Sally a brilliant actor who has been deservedly honored with awards for her unforgettable portrayals of women whose strength shines through the most trying of circumstances, she is also a director and producer who has created outstanding work, and a consistent, outspoken activist for women's rights. I can't wait to welcome Sally and am proud to have her take the stage for our Women's Media Awards."

The Women's Media Center History Making Award will be presented to Samantha Bee. "I am so glad that we will be honoring Samantha Bee, a center of energy, enlightenment and intelligence in political comedy," says Gloria Steinem, a co-founder of the Women's Media Center. "The power to make people laugh is also a power, which means comedy hasn't always been equally open to women. Samantha brings with her the rarest of powers -- she makes us laugh and learn at the same time."

The Women's Media Center Sisterhood is Global Award will be presented to Salma Hayek Pinault. "Salma Hayek Pinault is an amazing example of the worldwide impact that can be made by a woman of talent, generosity, and courage," says Women's Media Center co-founder Jane Fonda. "Even beyond her beautiful and deeply vulnerable work as an actor, Salma has broken so many barriers with her bold enterprise as a producer, pushing through fierce challenges to bring to fruition works of deep integrity and meaningful impact. In addition, Salma continues to bravely speak out for women and the underserved around the globe, fighting powerfully against discrimination and domestic violence. I can't imagine a better example of an honorable, empowered woman than Salma Hayek Pinault."

The Women's Media Center Carol Jenkins Visible and Powerful Media Award will be presented to Joy Reid. "Joy Reid is an outstanding journalist," says Carol Jenkins, founding and former president of the Women's Media Center. "In a tough political season, she is one of the few who asks the hard questions and insists on honest answers. Talk about visible and powerful--she has carved out and offers a rare space of truth for viewers and voters. Brava!"

The Women's Media Center Digital Media Award will be presented to Anita Sarkeesian. "Anita Sarkeesian is a powerful example of a woman boldly challenging and changing our culture," says Julie Burton, president of the Women's Media Center. "In exposing misogyny in video game culture and promoting alternatives, she has bravely taken on the multi-billion dollar gaming industry, a highly influential media form in the shaping of imaginations. Despite being sexually harassed, doxed, and subjected to mob attacks that include violent rape and death threats, she continues to challenge media sexism and to produce innovative story-telling content depicting strong women characters. Anita is doing crucial work re-examining and creating today's media."

The Women's Media Center Pat Mitchell Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Regina K. Scully. "For over 30 years, Regina K. Scully has been a shining light and a true leader in the media field," says Pat Mitchell, founding co-chair of the Women's Media Center. "The incredible range of films that she has boldly produced have led us to essential and challenging truths about our society, while her insightful philanthropy has continually looked to build new opportunities for reform in education, women in film, and transformative art. Regina is truly a powerhouse, whose outstanding life's work we are proud to honor."

"I am so proud that the Women's Media Center will be honoring such a diverse range of accomplished women this year," says Women's Media Center co-founder Robin Morgan. "These women, in the courage and skill of their achievements, and in their bold speaking out against bigotry and for empowerment, have been challenging how we all see the world and are changing the world itself for the better."

?Samantha Bee is the host of TBS' new satirical topical show, "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee." Prior to assuming her role as the lone female in late night, Bee was a correspondent on "The Daily Show" from 2003 through 2015. She and her husband, Jason Jones, are also co-creators of the upcoming sitcom "The Detour." Bee is currently writing a young adult novel for Farrar, Straus Giroux. She also has a collection of personal essays, titled "I Know I Am, But What Are You?"

Sally Field is a two-time Academy Award winner who was most recently seen starring in "Hello, My Name is Doris," a witty and compassionate later-in-life coming-of-age story co-starring Max Greenfield. The film is written and directed by Michael Showalter. Field previously starred in Steven Spielberg's critically acclaimed "Lincoln" as Mary Todd, for which she won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for best supporting actress and was also nominated for a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Critics Choice, BAFTA, and Academy Award. Field previously won Academy Awards for her performances in Robert Benton's "Places in the Heart," for which she also received a Golden Globe, and Martin Ritt's "Norma Rae," for which she received a Golden Globe, along with the New York Film Critics Circle Award, the National Board of Review Award, the Los Angeles Film Critics Award, the National Society of Film Critics honor, and Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival.

Field has also received Golden Globe nominations for her work in "Smokey and the Bandit," "Absence of Malice," "Kiss Me Goodbye," "Steel Magnolias," and "Forrest Gump." Her many film credits include "An Eye for An Eye," "Mrs. Doubtfire," "Soapdish," "Not Without My Daughter," "The End," "Hooper," "Stay Hungry" (her first major film role), as well as "Punchline" and "Murphy's Romance," both of which were produced by her production company, Fogwood Films.

Born in Pasadena, California, and raised in a show business family, Field began her career in 1964 in the television series "Gidget." She went on to star in the "The Flying Nun" in 1967. She starred in three television series by the age of 25. She received Emmy Awards for her title role in the landmark miniseries "Sybil" and for her performance on "ER." She also received Emmy nominations for her role in Showtime's "A Cooler Climate" and the NBC miniseries "A Woman of Independent Means" which she co-produced and for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. Field co-starred in the ABC series drama "Brothers & Sisters" from 2006 to 2011 and, for her role as Nora Walker, she received a Screen Actors Guild Award, an Emmy Award, as well as two Golden Globe nominations.

Field made her directorial debut in 1996 with the ABC telefilm "The Christmas Tree," which she co-wrote and which starred Julie Harris. She directed an episode of the HBO miniseries "From the Earth to the Moon" and in 2000 made her feature film directorial debut with "Beautiful," starring Minnie Driver.

In 2002, Field made her Broadway debut in Edward Albee's "The Goat" and in 2004, received rave reviews for her role as Amanda in Tennessee Williams' "The Glass Menagerie" at the KENNEDY Center. She will return to Broadway in "The Glass Menagerie" in March 2017.

In September 2015, Field was honored by President Obama with the National Medal of Arts. She has served on the Board of Directors of Vital Voices since 2002, and has served as Mistress of Ceremony at the Vital Voices Global Leadership Awards gala held at the KENNEDY Center from 2002 through 2011. Field also served on the Board of Directors of the Sundance Institute from 1994 to 2010. She has three sons and five grandchildren.

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