Fauci, Oprah among Webby Award winners
The Webby Person of the Year went to Fauci for using digital and social media to spread COVID-19 information.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay, Riz Ahmed, Dua Lipa, Andra Day and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson all won honors Tuesday at the Webby Awards, which recognize the best internet content and creators.
The Webby Person of the Year went to Fauci for using digital and social media to reach the masses with credible and factual COVID-19 information.
DuVernay won the Film and Video Person of the Year trophy for her efforts creating a database to diversify Hollywood.
This year marks the 25th anniversary Webby Awards, selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences.
It was hosted by actor and activist Jameela Jamil, with appearances from Naomi Watts, Padma Lakshmi and Gayle King, among others.
“It’s a unique year for the internet,” said Claire Graves, president of The Webby Awards. “It’s that one thing that has kept us connected all year.
“Our winners are a testament to that, really. They’ve kept us connected in so many different ways.
“They’ve informed us — like Dr. Fauci — uplifted us and helped us spark global
movements as well.”
The awards started in 1996 by recognizing websites. It has grown to embrace new technologies, from apps and software to social media and games. This year, organizers added virtual and remote experiences.
Ahmed and Day won acting awards for “Sound of Metal” and “The United States vs. Billie Holiday,” respectively. Johnson’s use of social media earned him a special achievement award, as did chef José Andrés, who was recognized for tackling food insecurity.
Other winners include Oprah’s Book Club, “Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical,” “NBC Nightly News: Kids Edition,” “We Are George Floyd” and the podcasts “Pod Save America,” “The Motherly Podcast” by Kristen Bell and “Jemele Hill Is Unbothered.”
Dua Lipa earned two video awards for “Hallucinate” and “Dua Lipa Has New Rules for COVID Dating.”
This year also marks the inaugural special achievement award — the Webby Anthem Award — which was awarded to Pharrell Williams for his work toward racial equity in education and entrepreneurship.