Photo credit: Rebecca J. Michelson
New York, NY (May 7, 2025) – The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, has released photos and video from their Annual Gala on Monday, April 21, 2025 in New York City, which raised $1.6 million to support their programs and services. The evening celebrated Denzel Washington, Tony and Academy Award-winning actor, producer and director; Ariana DeBose, Academy Award-winning actor, dancer and singer; and James L. Nederlander, theater owner and producer, as they received the Entertainment Community Fund Medal of Honor.
The evening was hosted by star of Broadway’s Once Upon a Mattress and Apple TV+’s Shrinking Michael Urie; special guests and presenters included Entertainment Community Fund Chair of the Board Annette Bening as well as Michael Arden, Sonya Balsara, Marcus Choi, Darren Criss, Charlotte d’Amboise, Dez Duron, Rick Elice, Cole Escola, Tovah Feldshuh, Tom Francis, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Jake Gyllenhaal, J. Harrison Ghee, Rene Gube, Karine Jean-Pierre, Adam Kaplan, Pearl Khwezi, LaChanze, Spike Lee, Kenny Leon, Storm Lever, Kecia Lewis, Jamie Lloyd, Terrence Mann, Julia Mattison, Idina Menzel, Luis Miranda, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Allyson Tucker Mitchell, Javier Muñoz, Broadway cast members of Operation Mincemeat, Orfeh, David Hyde Pierce, Conrad Ricamora, Michael James Scott, Lea Salonga, Stark Sands, Paul Tazewell, Richard Thomas, Lisa Ann Walter and many more.
The Gala included Natalie Venetia Belcon and the Broadway cast of Buena Vista Social Club performing “Candela”; Joy Woods performing “Wherever He Ain’t” from Mack & Mabel; “Stage, Screen, Heart” choreographed by Julius Anthony Rubio and Morgan Marcell under the direction of Sergio Trujillo; Liam Pearce and a choir of Jimmy Award Finalists performing “You Will Be Found” from Dear Evan Hansen; Caroline Bowman and Marc Shaiman performing “They Just Keep Moving the Line” from Smash; Nicole Scherzinger performing “Purple Rain”; and finale performances from the Radio City Rockettes, who are celebrating their milestone 100th anniversary this year.
To download photos from the event, click here.
To watch video from the event, click here.
The Entertainment Community Fund Medal of Honor was inaugurated on May 9, 1910 when it was first presented to President William Howard Taft. The award was revived in 1958, and since 1992, when Shubert Organization President Bernard B. Jacobs was recognized, the award has been presented at an annual fundraising gala. Since then, dozens of leaders have been recognized with this high honor given to individuals and organizations that enrich the entertainment community. To view past honorees, visit entertainmentcommunity.org/leadership.