NEW YORK, Mar 3, 2011/ FW/ — Now on its 3rd year, USA Network’s “Character Approved” Award has become a cultural phenomenon on its own right as it continued to recognize 12 cultural trailblazers annually.
And for 2011, fashion designer Prabal Gurung (Fashion), together with Walter Hood (Architecture), Vik Muniz (Art), Emily Pilloton (Design), Davis Guggenheim (Film), Grant Achatz (Food), Blake Mycoskie (Giving), Janelle Monáe (Music), Dennis Crowley & Naveen Selvadurai (New Media), Lily Rabe (Theatre), and Nicole Krauss (Writing) have been named “Character Approved”.
The “Character Approved” awards pay tribute to the visionaries and real “characters” from a cross-section of creative disciplines who are changing the face of American culture. USA Network created the awards to provide a national platform for important cultural influencers and to encourage a collective dialogue around their ideas.
USA chose to bestow this year’s honorees with the Network’s “character seal of approval” based on their cultural impact, legacy and persona. These exceptional pioneers are making progressive changes in their field through innovation, creativity and a willingness to break the mold.
“USA surveyed the cultural landscape and hand-picked twelve exceptional pioneers whose impact in their unique creative disciplines will be felt far into the future,” said Alexandra Shapiro, USA’s senior vice president, brand marketing and digital. “These honorees defy convention, influence popular opinion and exemplify what it means to be a true character.”
The Character Approved honorees will be featured in a multimedia campaign including a one-hour television special, CHARACTER APPROVED: HONORING 12 CULTURAL TRAILBLAZERS, directed by acclaimed documentarian Phil Griffin and produced by @radical.media.
The telecast will premiere on USA Network, Tuesday March 8th at 11/10c immediately following the season 2 finale of White Collar and will be comprised of original, exclusive long-form interviews shot expressly for the special.
