TV stars Jacobs, Johnson to get global impact honour
The Canadian stars of two critically acclaimed television shows are among those receiving special honours at this year’s Canadian Screen Awards.
Devery Jacobs, who starred in “Reservation Dogs,” and Lamar Johnson of “The Last of Us” will both receive the Radius Award, given to Canadian artists whose work has a resounding global impact.
Jacobs, who is from Kahnawake Mohawk Territory, was one of the lead actors in the FX comedy drama “Reservation Dogs,” about four teenagers coming of age on an Indigenous reservation in Oklahoma.
Jacobs is also one of the stars of the Marvel series “Echo,” and has appeared in the movies “Backspot,” “Blood Quantum” and “Rhymes for Young Ghouls.”
She is also an activist who, the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television noted, uses her platform to promote Indigenous and LGBTQ rights.
Toronto native Johnson was nominated for an Emmy Award last year for his role as a survivor of a fungal pandemic that has wiped out much of humanity in HBO’s video-game adaptation “The Last of Us.”
He also won a Canadian Screen Award for his lead performance in the movie “Brother” and was earlier named a Toronto International Film Festival Rising Star for the film “The Hate U Give.” Lamar will next co-star in the upcoming Netflix western drama series “The Abandons” alongside Indigenous Canadians Michael Greyeyes and Elle-Maíjá Tailfeathers.
The academy also announced that the inaugural Sustainable Production Award, which recognizes a production that “has had a measurable reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and/ or innovations,” will go to “Jane Goodall: Reasons for Hope,” produced by Science North.
The Gordon Sinclair Award for Broadcast Journalism will go to Paul Workman, who spent 33 years as a foreign correspondent for CBC and CTV.
The special awards will be handed out during Canadian Screen Week, starting May 26 and culminating in a televised gala May 31.
Previously announced special honourees include late Indigenous filmmaker Jeff Barnaby and veteran reality TV producer John Brunton for the Trib- ute Award, actor Tonya Williams for the Changemaker Award and morning show host Marilyn Denis, who will get the Lifetime Achievement Award.