Variety just announced the honoree list for this year’s Power of Women event, presented by Lifetime, and it’s a genuinely stacked group. The celebration lands in Beverly Hills on Wednesday, September 23, following the release of Variety’s Power of Women issue on September 17, and each honoree will appear on the cover alongside the accomplished women profiled in Variety’s annual Women’s Impact Report.
This year’s honorees:
- Jennifer Hudson — the EGOT-adjacent (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony-winning) artist, actor and talk show host is being honored just ahead of her own big moment, with Season 5 of The Jennifer Hudson Show premiering September 14. She’s supporting the Jennifer Hudson Foundation.
- Pearlena Igbokwe — the trailblazing exec has spent more than 35 years shaping television across cable, broadcast, studios and now streaming, earning a reputation as one of the industry’s most influential leaders. She’s supporting A Better Chance, which helps academically talented youth access transformative educational opportunities.
- Melissa McCarthy — the Emmy winner and Oscar nominee is next headed to Netflix’s The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey, and is supporting the Joyful Heart Foundation, which works to transform society’s response to sexual assault, domestic violence and child abuse.
- Sharon Stone — recently seen in HBO’s final season of Euphoria, Stone has spent more than four decades playing complex, boundary-pushing characters and is also a recipient of the Nobel Peace Summit Award for her global activism. She’s supporting the ACLU.
Alongside the four Power of Women honorees, Variety is presenting TV personality, author and podcast host Paige DeSorbo with the Variety Courage Award, presented by Purina, recognizing her advocacy for survivors of abuse. DeSorbo opened up on her podcast in 2024 about surviving an abusive relationship at 19 (something she’d kept private for over a decade), and has used her platform since to help others feel less alone. Her recognition ties into the Purple Leash Project, a partnership between Purina and RedRover working to expand pet-friendly options at domestic violence shelters, since nearly half of survivors delay leaving abusive situations specifically because they can’t bring their pet with them.
Comedian, actress and author Iliza Shlesinger returns as host this year. She’s coming off her film Chasing Summer, which premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Lifetime returns as the event’s Presenting Partner, with Purina as Premier Partner and Waymo stepping in as Official Innovation Partner. Guests and honorees will also walk away with curated gift bags featuring products from BÉIS, Goop, Tarte Cosmetics, Milk Makeup, OSEA and more.
Variety’s Power of Women event takes place Wednesday, September 23, in Beverly Hills.
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