2022 Media Access Awards Program

Together changing the way we perceive people with disabilities.

Congratulates Tonight’s Honorees and Salutes the

for honoring accurate portrayals and employment of people with disabilities in all media.

WELCOME2022 to the

Media Access Awards Thursday, November 17

PRESENTED BY

WELCOME! We are so happy to share this tremendous event with all of you as the reigning Hollywood showcase for disability inclusion.

Every year we come together to celebrate those in the entertainment industry who employ people with disabilities and who depict the disability experience with the same depth and craft they depict any other person.

The Media Access Awards are also a celebration of a vibrant community which wants to see itself represented in media.

In 1979, a nascent group of disability advocates – led by legendary T V producer Norman Lear and a young secretary in his office, Fern Field – hit upon the idea of an annual Hollywood awards event focused on disability, both in front of and behind the camera. That first ceremony was held in a small room at the Holiday Inn in Westwood and as Fern remembers it , they pretty much gave awards to each other, along with the makers of COMING HOME, the Vietnam-era drama featuring John Voight as a returning paralyzed vet. Fern had produced a groundbreaking short film about disability called A DIFFERENT APPROACH, starring a neophyte actor named Michael Keaton.

Norman had produced an episode of MAUDE , the hit CBS sitcom, in which Maude Finley (Bea Arthur), encountering an old friend who had recently suffered a stroke, was discombobulated in her presence. The whole group who gathered that day saw the abysmal absence of characters with disabilities in American mass media and acted to rectify this injustice.

Norman Lear met a young actress/comic with cerebral palsy, Geri Jewell, at the second Media Access Awards and cast her as the first person with a disability as a recurring character in a primetime sitcom, on his series FACTS OF LIFE. With the help of Loreen Arbus and other entertainment industry notables, the MAAs thrived as a non-televised Hollywood event for the next two decades. In the mid-nineties, the California Governor ’s Committee for the Employment of People with Disabilities took over funding, and when that support dried up during the Great Recession of 2007-08, the show went dark for two years.

In 2010, producer-writer Deborah Calla and writer Allen Rucker, took on the job of reviving this critical event. With the enthusiastic support of a coalition of Hollywood guilds and unions – the Producers Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America, West , SAG-AFTRA , and the Casting Society of America – plus the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the MAAs resumed in a tiny meeting room at the Peninsula Hotel. That year, honorees included Vince Gilligan, creator of BREAKING BAD, noted actor/activist Danny Woodburn, and the casting directors of GLEE – and the rest is history.

Expanding year after year and drawing upon the participation of noted Hollywood figures like Jimmy Kimmel, Shonda Rhimes, Peter Farrelly, Jane Lynch, Marlee Matlin, Selma Blair, and of course, the indefatigable Norman Lear, these awards are now here to stay. In the last 5 years, Easterseals of Southern California has stepped in as a partner to offer major support and expertise. Other industry sponsors such as producer Kevin Bright , IMDbPro, Comcast NBCUniversal, Disney General Entertainment Company, and Paramount , have also remained committed throughout. Without them, there would be no Media Access Awards.

Ask long-time Hollywood disability leaders like agent Gail Williamson, and they will tell you that a major uptick in the industry’s inclusion of actors with disabilities and storylines featuring them, began about five years ago and continues unabated. There is still enormous progress to be made, of course – statistically, the employment of actors and others with disabilities remains hardly a blip on Hollywood call sheets. The Media Access Awards, along with Easterseals, the rest of the ever-increasing Hollywood disability community, and hopefully you, are proud to be part of this historic march toward full inclusion.

DEBORAH CALLA and ALLEN RUCKER

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

EASTERSEALS is leading the way to full equity, inclusion and access through lifechanging disability and community services. As America’s largest disability services organization, Easterseals is committed to the comprehensive health and wellness of the more than 1.4 million people we serve nationally, 15,000 of whom are in Southern California.

Entertainment has the ability to inspire and change people’s perceptions about who we are, how we see ourselves, and how we understand and empathize with others.

In recognition of this, in 2016, Easterseals began to collaborate with studios and networks to raise awareness about the lack of authentic disability inclusion in casting and storytelling, while also highlighting the need for employment opportunities in front of and behind the camera for people with disabilities.

By participating in key industry events and film festivals, partnering with studios, entertainment media and organizations, along with the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge, we have been able to share over 100 years of experience to educate and inform those who seek to change the way disability is viewed. Together, we have begun to see progress.

Through our partnership with the Media Access Awards, we honor and applaud those who are providing depictions of disability that are authentic, inclusive, and multi-faceted.

We salute this year’s exceptional talents for their outstanding work.

We continue to push for real and systemic change. We hope that you will support the effort for full equity, inclusion and access for people with disabilities.

Learn more at easterseals.com/southerncal

Our streaming partner

WELCOME!

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Lauren Ridloff

ACTOR

Tonight’s Host LAUREN RIDLOFF began her meteoric rise as an actor just five years ago.

Prior to that, she won the title of Miss Deaf America and was a kindergarten teacher in Manhattan for a decade.

After leaving that job to take care of her two young children, she was hired in 2016 to tutor director Kenny Leon in American Sign Language as he readied the Broadway revival of CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD. After working together for months, Kenny and the producers concluded that Lauren was the ideal and only choice for the lead. She pulled it off with resounding success, including multiple rave reviews from the New York Times and a Tony nomination.

She soon became a series regular on the longrunning AMC series, THE WALKING DEAD. She then became the first Deaf superhero opposite Angelina Jolie and Kumail Nanjani in Marvel’s worldwide hit, ETERNALS. Lauren received a 2020 BAFTA Breakthrough award recognizing the most promising stars of film and television.

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Danielle Perez

COMEDIAN, ACTOR

Performers DANIELLE PEREZ was a 2021 JUST FOR LAUGHS NEW FACE and Los Angeles-based comedian, actor, and writer known to some as the woman in a wheelchair, with no feet, who won a treadmill on THE PRICE IS RIGHT. A 2019 & 2018 STAND UP NBC semifinalist, who has opened for Maria Bamford, Cristela Alonzo, and Nicole Byer as well as performing at Sundance with Aida Rodriguez for CURATED BY MEDIA. Danielle will appear in multiple episodes of Gloria Calderon Kellett’s Amazon series WITH LOVE, and has appeared in CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM (HBO), and SPECIAL (Netflix).

You can also find Danielle in the latest seasons of RUSSIAN DOLL, as well as DIARY OF A FUTURE PRESIDENT, and starring alongside Jodie Sweetin and Alec Mapa in the romantic comedy, SWIPE RIGHT. Danielle just wrapped as a staff writer on the PITCH PERFECT spinoff series for Peacock starring Adam Devine.

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Nic Novicki

COMEDIAN, ACTOR, PRODUCER

Performers NIC NOVICKI is an comedian, actor, and producer that has performed on six continents including several tours through Armed Forces Entertainment, performing for troops.

His television credits include: BOARDWALK EMPIRE, THE GOOD DOCTOR, THE SOPRANOS, LOUDERMILK, ALONE TOGETHER, GOTHAM COMEDY LIVE, JACK AND TRIUMPH, THE NEIGHBORS, AUSTIN AND ALLEY, PRIVATE PRACTICE, and DROP DEAD DIVA. He has appeared in several movies including: L!FE HAPPENS, MARRY ME, NOVEMBER RULE, THE LAST 5 YEARS, BOSTON GIRLS, BREAKING WIND, DEAD ANT and the upcoming HIPSTERS, GANGSTERS, ALIENS AND GEEKS. He is the founder and director of the EASTERSEALS DISABILIT Y FILM CHALLENGE and is a board member of Easterseals Southern California.

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

D.J. Demers

COMEDIAN

Performers As seen on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JIMMY FALLON, AMERICA’S GOT TALENT, CONAN (three times) and his one-hour specials [INDISTINCT CHATTER], INTERPRETED, and BORN IN ‘86, D.J. Demers is a steady provider of laughs.

His clever stand-up is both personal and universal and has earned him multiple appearances at JUST FOR LAUGHS, a nomination for Best Comedy Album at the JUNOS (i.e. the Canadian GRAMMYS®), and a growing legion of fans around the world.

Before moving to America, D.J. achieved tremendous success in Canada. In 2015, he was awarded Best Breakout Artist at the CANADIAN COMEDY AWARDS. He won the Homegrown Comics Competition at the 2014 MONTRÉAL JUST FOR LAUGHS COMEDY FESTIVAL, won the 2013 TORONTO COMEDY BRAWL, and was a 2011 finalist on NBC‘S STAND-UP FOR DIVERSIT Y. All three of his stand-up albums have been played millions of times on all major streaming platforms, including Pandora, Spotify, and SiriusXM. His appearances on FALLON, AGT, and CONAN have garnered tens of millions of views on Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. D.J. now lives in Los Angeles. He performs at the major clubs in L.A. and regularly tours clubs, colleges, and corporate events across North America. To stay up to date on D.J.’s latest projects and tour dates, please sign up for his newsletter and watch or listen to his podcast, DEFINITELY D.J.

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Rex Lewis-Clack

MUSICAL SAVANT

Performers REX & FRIENDS is a program in Southern California that provides support and training in musical abilities for individuals who are blind or autistic. These musicians come together to receive ongoing professional support, guidance, and performance opportunities.

Participants develop musical repertoire in an environment that grows friendships, selfesteem, and skill while rehearsing, then ultimately performing in front of live audiences.

The group’s “leader,” Rex Lewis-Clack was diagnosed with autism as a toddler, and then labeled a musical genius (piano) by the age of seven. Considered a prodigious musical savant, musicologists became astounded by his ability to play back complex piano pieces and transpose them into other keys with little effort. For Rex, music released the floodgates of other underdeveloped areas of his mind allowing them to flourish unabated by former cognitive restrictions. Rex found his voice, literally and figuratively.

For people living with the challenges of autism, alternative avenues of communication can provide a pathway for the autistic mind to bridge the gap towards interconnection.

Music can transform their lives by offering important cognitive, social, and emotional benefits. Rex & Friends allows these talented musicians to work in a professional studio and to collaborate with their peers on ensemble show pieces, in a variety of musical genres. Through the process of perfecting their live performance skills, these very talented individuals are seen as able-bodied musicians and can contribute to the disabled community, and the community at large through their performances.

Rex & Friends is a program with ArtsUP! LA: a nonprofit theater and arts program serving people with disabilities, military veterans, and opportunity youth. They remove barriers to participation and provide unlimited possibilities for artistic expression, building diverse artists and audiences who are changing how the arts are presented and experienced.

Comprised originally of talented members of Performing Arts Studio West in Inglewood, California, Rex & Friends, under the direction of Laurie Grant, was officially launched by Matt Wolf in 2013.

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Chin Injet

SINGER, MUSICIAN, PRODUCER

Performers CHIN INJETI is a Canadian singer, musician, and music producer.

He got his start as a founding member of Juno Award-winning group Bass is Base.

He frequently collaborates with Producer DJ Khalil; together they have written and produced songs for Dr. Dre, 50 Cent, Drake, Clipse, Eminem, and Pink.

Injeti’s work with Eminem and Lecrae has garnered three GRAMMY® Awards, as well as GRAMMY® nominations for Aloe Blacc’s “Lift Your Spirit” and Pink’s “The Truth About Love.”

2022 Writers Guild of America, We MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

John Hoffman

PRODUCER, DIRECTOR, WRITER, ACTOR, CO-CREATOR, SHOWRUNNER

est Evan Somers Memorial Award JOHN HOFFMAN is the co-creator and showrunner of ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING, a Hulu original series, starring Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez.

Previously, Hoffman served as executive eroducer, writer and director for six seasons of GRACE & FRANKIE, starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin, on Netflix.

Before that, he was co-executive producer and writer for the acclaimed HBO series, LOOKING, starring Jonathan Groff and Russell Tovey. Emmy-nominated for his writing work on the 2009 ACADEMY AWARDS, Hoffman has also developed for ABC, NBC, FOX and SHOWTIME, as well as three pilots for HBO. For his first film, NORTHERN LIGHTS, Hoffman co-wrote (based on his original play), produced and co-starred with Diane Keaton. He then went on to make his writing-directing feature debut with the successful MGM/Jim Henson Studios family film, GOOD BOY. As an actor, Hoffman made his Broadway debut in the Tony-nominated, WELL by Lisa Kron. His TV credits include HBO’s THE LARRY SANDERS SHOW, NBC’s CAROL & COMPANY, as well as series regular roles on Fox’s FORTUNE HUNTER, and most infamously, as the Mad Hatter in 100 episodes of the Disney Channel musical series, ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND. Born in Brooklyn and raised in Ohio, Hoffman graduated with a BFA in Theatre from Hofstra University.

Presenter: James Caverly (Actor, ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING)

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

SAG-AFTRA Selma Blair

ACTOR

Photo: Raul Romo

Harold Russell Award Selma Blair has been one of the most versatile actresses, beginning with comedic roles in pop culture classics in the 2000s. Blair has worked with acclaimed directors including Guillermo del Toro, Todd Solodnz, and John Waters.

Blair can currently be seen as the subject of the documentary, INTRODUCING, SELMA BLAIR, which premiered to rave reviews at the 2021 SXSW Festival, where the feature won the Special Jury Recognition for Exceptional Intimacy in Storytelling. The film also won the New York Women in Film & Television Documentary Award at the Hamptons Film Festival, and received three Critics Choice Documentary Award nominations, including Best Documentary Feature. The documentary, which reveals Blair’s intimate and raw journey with Multiple Sclerosis and streamed broadly on Discovery+.

Most recently, she was featured on ABC’S DANCING WITH THE STARS. Previous film credits include CRUEL INTENTIONS, LEGALLY BLONDE, HELLBOY, HELLBOY II, STORYTELLING, DARK HORSE, and MOM & DAD.

Presenter: Troy Kotsur (Actor, CODA)

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Producers Guild of

Cian O’Clery

SHOWRUNNER, DIRECTOR, PRODUCER

America George Sunga Award Karina Holden and Cian O’Cleary are the co-creators of LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM. Together, they have also made two series: EMPLOYABLE ME, featuring people with disabilities seeking employment, and CHANGING MINDS which follows people in recovery from acute mental health issues. They were named in Variety’s Inclusion Impact report in 2022 for their film making and were inducted into the Disability Employment Australia’s Hall of Fame in the same year.

CIAN O’CLERY is an Emmy award-winning showrunner, series director, and producer.

He most recently directed and executive produced LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM US, the US version of the award-winning Australian docuseries he directed and co-created.

Love on the Spectrum has won numerous awards globally, including the Emmy for Outstanding Unstructured Reality Program, and the Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) award for Best Directing in Non-fiction Television.

Cian recently directed AFTER THE WILDFIRES, a film about the devastating effect the black summer had on Australia’s wildlife, which went on to win Best Conservation Film at the Jackson Wild awards. He was the director of EMPLOYABLE ME, a series featuring people with disabilities looking for employment, and CHANGING MINDS: THE INSIDE STORY, an observational documentary filmed inside a mental health unit.

Cian has brought a style, tone, and heart to his series that has seen them take home awards including multiple Emmy’s, Critics Choice Awards, the Realscreen Awards, The Venice TV award, New York Festivals Awards, and the Japan Prize. Cian is attracted to projects that have something to say, while not forgetting who they are for: the audience.

Presenter: Steve Spitz (Actor, LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM)

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Producers Guild of Karina Holden

SHOWRUNNER, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

America George Sunga Award KARINA HOLDEN is a film maker and three-time Emmy award-winning producer with 24 years experience in the business. She has worked as a director, producer, commissioning editor, and executive producer on over 300 hours of programming.

Her role as Head of Factual at Northern Pictures since 2013 has allowed her to oversee content creation for broadcast television, as well as director of her own films. Her first theatrical film, BLUE, premiered at the United Nations before its global cinema release. Overseeing a slate of diverse programs: from science, to society, politics, and power – the crux of her work is to create change, truth tell, and find unlikely heroes who challenge our perceptions.

In 2021, Karina was named the UNESCO Sydney City of Film, filmmaker of the year.

In September 2022, Karina was awarded three Emmys for her work for LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM US, of which she is the co-creator and executive producer.

Karina has also been recognised in the 100 Women of Influence awards for her global contribution to environmental film making.

Presenter: Steve Spitz (Actor, LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM)

2022 IMDbPro | Media Access Aw MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Peter Farrelly DIRECTOR

ward for Excellence in Directing PETER FARRELLY is an American filmmaker, director, screenwriter, producer, novelist, and a long-time supporter of disability rights. His commitment to disability inclusion came from his childhood friend, Danny Murphy, who became a quadriplegic as a result of a diving accident in Martha’s Vineyard. Danny was seen in THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and in ME, MYSELF & IRENE. His last movie role was in HALL PASS. Peter, a two-time Academy Award winner is known for writing, directing, and producing movies like DUMB AND DUMBER, THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY, and GREEN BOOK, as well as the critically acclaimed series, LOUDERMILK, and THE NOW. His newest film, THE GREATEST BEER RUN EVER, starring Zac Efron, Russel Crowe, and Bill Murray, was released in September 2022.

In addition to his film work, Farrelly wrote the novels “Outside Providence and The Comedy Writer” and the children’s book “Abigail the Happy Whale”.

Presenter: Lauren Ridloff (Actor, THE ETERNALS)

2022 Norman Lear–Geri Jewell MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Allen Rucker WRITER

Lifetime Achievement Award ALLEN RUCKER, already a veteran writer in Hollywood, became paralyzed from a neuroimmune disorder called transverse myelitis in 1996. One of his first writing assignments after his injury was to co-write the ABC Special. CHRISTOPHER REEVE: A CELEBRATION OF HOPE. His career as a disability advocate began in earnest in 2007, when he was named Chair of the WGA Writers with Disabilities Committee, a position he held for thirteen years. Since 2010, he has been the writer and co-CEO of the Media Access Awards.

He also writes an online column for the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.

Allen grew up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and holds degrees from Washington University, St. Louis, University of Michigan, and Stanford. His forty-year writing career includes documentaries, sketch comedy, enumerable network specials, and a dozen books, including a memoir of life after paralysis, “The Best Seat in The House: How I Woke Up One Tuesday and Was Paralyzed for Life.”

He has won the duPont-Columbia Journalism Award, two Writers Guild of America Awards, and two CableAce Awards, among others. The Media Access Awards has won numerous awards, including the 2021 Anthem Award, two Telly Awards, and a special commendation from the Loyola-Marymount School of Law.

Presenter: Jimmy Kimmel (Host , JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE!)

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

SAG-AFTRA David S. Zimmerman

PRODUCER, CASTING DIRECTOR, TEACHER, COACH, WRITER, ACTOR, DIRECTOR

Disability Awareness Award DAVID ZIMMERMAN has been coaching actors and putting together workshops for more than two decades. He is the creator and producer of the “MEET THE BIZ” workshops, which looks to make diversity a common place and bridges the gap between ability and disability. As a personal coach, he has been hired by production companies such as Ryan Murphy’s ground breaking series NIP/TUCK and worked on Michael Patrick King’s, LOVE YOU MORE. As a casting director, Zimmerman has cast feature films including CAROL OF THE BELLS, produced by Joey Travolta and Inclusion Films. He has also enjoyed working with Showtime, Lifetime TV, Mark Wolper Productions, and Time Life Productions.

You can also see him on the screen as an actor in such films as HIDE, MEET THE FOCKERS, and as the voice of Jason, in the award winning animated short, HEAVENLY PEACE. David was honored at the 25th Annual Media Access Awards with the prestigious “Media Access Office Award of Merit.” He has worked in connection with the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, Actors For Autism, The Screen Actors Guild, The Writers Guild, and the Friends Of Californians With Disabilities, Inc. and is now, proudly, one of the faculty of the Performing Arts Studio West family.

He has been a contributing writer for ABILIT Y Magazine. Some of his articles include interviews with Jamie Brewer (AMERICAN HORROR STORY) and Norman Lear (ALL IN THE FAMILY).

HUNNY-BUNNY, the Documentary film that he produced for the Easterseals Disability Film Challenge starring Susie Q. Schallert and Blair Williamson is the Festival Circuit.

David is currently producing the “MEET THE BIZ” interview series along with Performing Arts Studio West. And is also working on the television/ film project, that he calls his baby, MY NEXT BREATH, which he created and is producing.

Presenter: Geri Jewell (Actor, DEADWOOD)

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Casting

Cami Patton

CASTING DIRECTOR

Society of America Award CAMI PATTON is a multiple Emmy and Artios award-winning Casting Director.

Her career highlights include the recent AS WE SEE IT for Jason Katims and Amazon, as well as JUSTIFIED and THE AMERICANS (pilot) for Graham Yost and FX, ENLIGHTENED for Mike White and HBO, PUSHING DAISIES for Bryan Fuller and ABC, THE UNITED STATES OF TARA for Diablo Cody and Showtime, and PARENTHOOD for Jason Katims and NBC. Alongside her former partner, Meg Liberman, the miniseries BAND OF BROTHERS and THE PACIFIC for Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg and HBO were favorites as well. Cami has just finished the pilot and first season of THE CALLING for David E. Kelley and Peacock, the pilot and first season of WOOL for Graham Yost and Apple+, as well as casting and producing the limited series JUSTIFIED: CIT Y PRIMEVAL for FX. She also served as producer for the final two seasons of the original JUSTIFIED series.

Cami is extremely grateful to have had the good fortune to spend her adult life in the pursuit of talent, working with gifted artists in front of and behind the camera. She is even more grateful for her four grown kids and incredibly loving husband – all of whom supported (and continue to support) her along the journey.

Presenter: SueAnn Pien & Rick Glassman (Actors , AS WE SEE IT )

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Casting Angela Demo

CASTING DIRECTOR

Society of America Award Angela Demo has a wealth of experience casting all genres for major studios, independent films and television productions.

She has been nominated for five Artios Awards for excellence in casting for the films THE SPECTACULAR NOW, CELESTE & JESSE FOREVER, TWO NIGHT STAND, and was the recipient of two Artios in 2016 for THE STANFORD PRISON EXPERIMENT (IFC Films) and ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL (Fox Searchlight).

In 2014, Vanity Fair featured Angela in the article, “5 Casting Directors Who Deserve Oscar Nominations” list for her work on THE SPECTACULAR NOW. In addition to her work as an independent casting director, she served as vice president of the Fox Feature Casting Department beginning in 2016, supervising projects including JOJO RABBIT, THE FAVOURITE, BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, THE PREDATOR, CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME?, DARK PHOENIX and THE AFTERMATH, as well as casting the 2020 thriller, UNDERWATER. In 2019, Angela served as a casting consultant for Imagine Television, supervising projects including GENIUS, EMPIRE, LANGDON, SWAGGER, 68 WHISKEY, WHY WOMEN KILL and WU TANG: AN AMERICAN SAGA. Some recent credits include the Paramount/Quibi series, WHEN THE STREETLIGHTS GO ON, the Netflix film, NIGHTBOOKS, and the Apple TV+ film, CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH, starring Dakota Johnson and Cooper Raiff, which won the Audience Award at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival.

Angela recently completed casting for the HBO docu-series, THE REHEARSAL, starring Nathan Fielder.

Presenter: Cooper Raiff (Director & Actor, CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH)

2022 MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Christopher Reeve

Sofia Sanchez

ACTOR, MODEL

Scholarship Award SOFIA SANCHEZ is a Ukrainian American actress, model, and advocate and known for her viral video DOWN SYNDROME IS NOT SCARY. She had her acting debut in the TV series, SWITCHED AT BIRTH (2015), and her first movie role in, FOR PALOMA (2022). Additionally, her adoption story inspired two of her published Scholastic books, “You are Enough” and “You are Loved.“ You may see her face in various Gap, Old Navy and Target print ads and commercials, but what you remember is her vibrant personality the moment you meet her. Sofia is represented by KMR & Associates.

Presenter: Rachel Zegler (Actor, WEST SIDE STORY )

2022 Shout Outs MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

Eva Longoria

(Actor, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES)

Randall Park (Actor, WANDAVISION)

A Special Thank You to our Platinum Sponsors

Thank You

KEVIN BRIGHT for your generous support

A Special Thank You to our Gold Sponsors

A Special Thank You to our Silver Sponsors

The Murray/Reese Foundation

A Special Thank You to our Friends & Partners

2022 Credits MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

MEDIA ACCESS AWARDS

EASTERSEALS

CO-CEOs Deborah Calla & Allen Rucker

Mark Whitley Chief Executive Officer

HONORARY CO-CHAIRS Kevin Bright Peter Farrelly Vince Gilligan Robert David Hall Gale Anne Hurd Daryl “Chill” Mitchell RJ Mitte Margaret Nagle Jane Seymour Mike Tollin

Nancy Weintraub Chief Marketing Communications Officer

FOUNDERS Norman G. Brooks Fern Field Norman Lear

Kelly Lapadula Manager, Digital Marketing

Kimberly Cohn VP, Marketing Communications Norita Jaeger Executive Office & Grants Manager Shelley Ginsburg-Brown Director, Digital Marketing

Alexis Causey Coordinator, Digital Marketing

Media Access Awards - The Show STARRING

2022 MEDIA ACCESS AWARDS

Deborah Calla

PRODUCED BY Calla Productions

Selma Blair

James Caverly Angela Demo D.J. Demers Peter Farrelly Rick Glassman John Hoffman Karina Holden Chin Injeti Geri Jewell Jimmy Kimmel Troy Kotsur Eva Longoria Rex Lewis-Clack Nic Novicki Cian O’Clery Randall Park Cami Patton Danielle Perez SueAnn Pien Cooper Raiff Lauren Ridloff Sofia Sanchez Steve Spitz Allen Rucker Rachel Zegler David Zimmerman

AUDIO DESCRIPTION SPONSORED BY

HOST Lauren Ridloff EXECUTIVE PRODUCER Deborah Calla WRITER Allen Rucker PRODUCERS Lauren Selman Carrie Lynn Certa STAGE SHOW DIRECTOR Paul Miller SCREEN PRODUCER Drew Findley ASSISTANT SCREEN PRODUCER Dan Efros SCREENS CONTENT PROVIDED BY DF Productions, LLC SHOW EDITOR C. Drew Usner CLIP PACKAGE EDITOR Scott Klumb COMEDY CLUB DIRECTOR Martin Yernazian VIRTUAL PRODUCTION COMPANY Atsion Run Media VIRTUAL TECHNICAL PRODUCER Will Bozarth

CO-PRODUCED WITH Cliff Hahn Sound NARRATED BY Michele Spitz ANNOUNCER Dina Morrone LAUREN RIDLOFF ASL INTERPRETER Ramon Norrod ASL INTERPRETERS Craig Fogel (James Caverly) Justin Mauer (Troy Kotsur & Comedy Show) Candace Lane (PSAW Acting Class) Joshua Lane (PSAW Acting Class) Sarah Cohen (Comedy Show)

2022 Credits MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

LOS ANGELES STUDIO SHOOT LOCATION PRG Studios

TECHNICAL SUPPORT SPECIALIST Michael Koziatek

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE/ STUDIO SERVICES Kendra Hathaway

MEDIA SERVER PROGRAMMER Vishal Sharma

DIRECTOR OF CAMERA IMAGING SOLUTIONS Scott Dale LEAD LED TECH Humbert Murillo TECHNICAL DIRECTOR Kelby Floyd TECHNICAL PRODUCTION MANAGER Monica Vandehei

VIDEO ENGINEER Alfredo Herz Rojas CAMERA SHADER John Hayes VIDEO TAPE OPERATOR Nathan Holsey TELEPROMPTER Nic Valencia STAGEHAND Travis Kruckenberg

JIB CAMERA OPERATOR Daniel Hagouel

PROJECT COORDINATOR Angel Peralta

CAMERA OPERATOR Robert Medina

VP OF PRODUCTION SERVICES Jeroen Hallart

STEADICAM OPERATOR Aline Ballestero

SALES COORDINATOR Andy Celis

LIGHTING PROGRAMMER Daniel O’Brien

FACILITY MANAGER Troy Botelho

AUDIO ENGINEER John Wilson

CLEANING TECH Virginia Canalés

A2 Christopher Rushman

CLEANING SERVICES Silverstone Facilities

TECHNICAL PROJECT MANAGER - AUDIO Anthony Dodd

COVID COMPLIANCE OFFICER Kimberly Acquarelli

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Ben Carroll Max Flora Erica Mae McNeal LAUREN RIDLOFF MAKE-UP Autumn Moultrie LAUREN RIDLOFF HAIR Joshua Murphy LAUREN RIDLOFF STYLIST Jason Rembert HAIR AND MAKEUP FOR DEBORAH CALLA & CHIN INJETI Claire Doyle TRANSPORTATION Sunshine Medical Transport & Music Express CATERING Food Fetish

LOS ANGELES COMEDY CLUB SHOOT

ENG FIELD CREWS

LOCATION Catalina Jazz Club

CAMERA OPERATORS Ezequiel Casares Nico Navia Justin Ivan Hong

CAMERA OPERATORS Issac Park Declan Berkeley Austin Lee EDITOR Martin Yernazian AUDIO Sergio Bonacci Lapalma GAFFER Angela Piazza HAIR AND MAKEUP Tony Wilson ASL INTERPRETERS Justin Maurer Sarah Cohen MUSIC MANAGER Laurie Grant PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS Dushawn Moses Ashley Prickett Bria Wade Max Flora COVID COMPLIANCE OFFICER Kimberly Acquarelli PRODUCTION SUPPLIES Fourth Dimension Events

FIELD PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Max Flora LOCATIONS Hotel Ziggy Performing Arts Studio West Paramount Studios

ACTING CLASS AT PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO WEST Jamie Brewer Megan Clancy Shannon Dieriex Tina Green Katy Harney-Johnson Jacob Lince Davaughn Morgan Marc Pulver Matthew Seldon Bernard “BJ” Smith Theresa Tenario John Tucker Tracey Turner FOUNDER/DIRECTOR John Paizis DIRECTOR OF MEDIA Chardell Brown ALL THE STAFF AT PERFORMING ARTS STUDIO WEST FAMILY & FRIENDS Theresa Dieriex Cindy Green Jean Turner Wally Turner

2022 Credits MEDIA ACCESS

AWARDS

MARKETING/PR

CLIPS PROVIDED BY

PROGRAM DESIGNER Gabrielle Raumberger eposinc.com

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDINGS

PUBLIC RELATIONS

SLATE PR Andy Gelb Lindsey Brown McLravy FORWARD COLLECTIVE Jenna Green

SPECIAL THANKS Easterseals of Southern California Performing Arts Studio West John Paizis Chardell Brown Chris Suso Scott Richter Spring Street Cafe Tara Samuel The Hand Prop Shop The Sign Language Company Tina Hittenberger PRG Studios The 2022 Media Access Awards was shot at LED studios

© & TM 2021 Twentieth Century Fox Film.

All rights reserved.

THE LAST GREAT BEER RUN EVER

Courtesy of Apple TV+

LOVE ON THE SPECTRUM U.S. Courtesy of Netflix

INTRODUCING SELMA BLAIR

© & TM 2021 Warner Bros. Discovery.

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GREEN BOOK

© 2018 Courtesy of Storyteller Distribution Co., LLC. All rights reserved.

DANCING WITH THE STARS

Courtesy of BBC Worldwide Limited and American Broadcasting Companies, Inc.

AS WE SEE IT

Courtesy of Amazon Prime Video

Footage from THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY © 1998 Twentieth Century Fox Film.

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HELLBOY II: THE GOLDEN ARMY

© 2008 Universal Studios and Internationale Filmproduktion Eagle Filmproduktionsgesellschaft mgb & Co. KG

©2022 Media Access Awards