The Dorian Awards are film and television accolades given by GALECA: The Society of

LGBTQ ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

Entertainment Critics, founded in 2009 as the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association. GALECA is an association of professional journalists and critics who regularly report on movies and/or TV for print, online, and broadcast outlets in the United States, Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. As of November 2022, GALECA listed approximately 410 members. The awards recognize the best in film, television, and performance for the prior calendar year, with categories ranging from general to LGBTQ-centric. The Dorian Award is named in honor of the writer

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish poet and playwright. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular playwrights in London in the early 1890s. He is ...

, in reference to his novel ''

The Picture of Dorian Gray ''The Picture of Dorian Gray'' is a philosophical fiction, philosophical novel by Irish writer Oscar Wilde. A shorter novella-length version was published in the July 1890 issue of the American periodical ''Lippincott's Monthly Magazine''.''Th ...

'', and the original award was a simple certificate with an image of the noted author and playwright, along with a graphic of hands holding a black

bow tie The bow tie is a type of necktie. A modern bow tie is tied using a common shoelace knot, which is also called the bow knot for that reason. It consists of a ribbon of fabric tied around the collar of a shirt in a symmetrical manner so that th ...

. In 2019, the award was redesigned to mimic a cue card. Since the group's first televised awards special, ''Dorians TV Toast 2020'', first shown on the streaming platform

Revry Revry (Revry.tv) is a global streaming media, streaming network launched in 2016 that focuses on LGBT, queer content and creators. It was founded by Damian Pelliccione, Alia J. Daniels, Christopher Rodriguez, Wadooah Wali and LaShawn McGhee. The ...

on September 12, 2020, winners have received a small illustrated portrait of themselves or a memorable scene from their project. During GALECA's ''Dorians Film Toast 2021'' special (airing April 18, 2021), actress

Carey Mulligan Carey Hannah Mulligan (born 28 May 1985) is an English actress. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Carey Mulligan, various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for two Academy A ...

, in accepting the group's Best Film Performance—Actress award for her work in ''

Promising Young Woman ''Promising Young Woman'' is a 2020 thriller film written, co-produced, and directed by Emerald Fennell in her feature directorial debut. It stars Carey Mulligan as a troubled young woman haunted by a traumatic past as she navigates balancing for ...

'', said her Dorian "might be the coolest prize I've ever seen."

Format

The Dorian Awards are given to the group's choices for the finest in film and television, across a variety of categories, from mainstream to LGBTQ-themed. In addition to more traditional categories such as Film of the Year and TV Comedy of the Year (updated more recently to Best Film and Best TV Comedy), the Dorians include more novel categories, including Unsung TV Show, Visually Striking Film, Wilde Wit and Campy Flick, an honor that has generated amusement from

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

. Rather than present an official awards ceremony, GALECA hosts its annual "Dorian Awards Winners Toast," an informal day party in Los Angeles for members, winners, nominees, and associates. For the 2020 Toast,

Antonio Banderas José Antonio Domínguez Bandera (born 10 August 1960), known professionally as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish actor and singer. Known for his work in films of several genres, he has received List of awards and nominations received by Antonio Ba ...

, the group's choice for 2019 Film Performance of the Year—Actor, and actress-director

Olivia Wilde Olivia Jane Cockburn ( ; born March 10, 1984), known professionally as Olivia Wilde, is an American actress and filmmaker. She played Thirteen (House), Remy "Thirteen" Hadley on the medical-drama television series ''House (TV series), House'' ( ...

, named "Wilde" Artist of the Year, were among the honored guests. In 2018, the Society's Executive Director, John Griffiths, announced that the group was planning to separate the Dorian film and TV awards' timelines, with movie award winners revealed each January and TV honors in June. In September 2019, GALECA presented its first televised awards, ''Dorians TV Toast 2020'', a pre-recorded two hour special with appearances by performers and producers such as

Hugh Jackman Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor. Beginning in theatre and television, he landed his breakthrough role as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine in the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film series (2000–2017), a role ...

Janelle Monáe Janelle Monáe Robinson (; born December 1, 1985) is an American singer, rapper and actress. She is signed to Atlantic Records, as well as to her own imprint, the Wondaland Arts Society. Monáe has received eight Grammy Award nominations. Mon� ...

, Billy Porter,

Margaret Cho Margaret Moran Cho (born December 5, 1968) is an American comedian, actress, LGBT social activist, and musician. She is known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially regarding race and se ...

, Josh Thomas,

Regina King Regina Rene King (born January 15, 1971) is an American actress and director. She is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and four Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2019, ''Time'' magazine named her one ...

, Dan Levy,

Laverne Cox Laverne Cox (born May 29, 1972) is an American actress and LGBT advocate. She rose to prominence with her role as Sophia Burset on the Netflix series ''Orange Is the New Black'', becoming the first transgender person to be nominated for a Pri ...

John Oliver John William Oliver (born 23 April 1977) is a British-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. Oliver started his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom. He came to wider attention ...

Chad Michaels Chad Michael Storbeck, known professionally as Chad Michaels (born March 20, 1971), is an American drag performer and professional Cher impersonator. He was the runner-up of the fourth season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', alongside Phi Phi O'Hara, ...

, Thomas Roberts,

Fiona Shaw Fiona Shaw (born Fiona Mary Wilson; 10 July 1958) is an Irish film and theatre actress. She is known for her roles as Petunia Dursley in the ''Harry Potter'' film series (2001–2010), Marnie Stonebrook in the fourth season of the HBO serie ...

Annie Murphy Anne Frances Murphy (born December 19, 1986) is a Canadian actress. She is best known for her starring role as Alexis Rose in the CBC sitcom ''Schitt's Creek'' (2015–2020). For her performance in the series, she garnered critical acclaim and ...

Alex Newell Alex Eugene Newell (born August 20, 1992) is an American actor and singer. They are known for their role as Unique Adams on the Fox musical series ''Glee'' and Mo on ''Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist''. Newell also starred as Asaka in the Broadway ...

and

Damon Lindelof Damon Laurence Lindelof (born April 24, 1973) is an American screenwriter, comic book writer, and producer. Among his accolades, he received three Primetime Emmy Awards, from twelve nominations. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named him one of the ...

. The program, shown on LGBTQ+ streaming platform

, was hosted by broadcasting veteran and LGBTQ rights activist

Charles Karel Bouley Charles Karel Bouley, known on-the-air as Karel (pronounced ka-REL), is an American entertainer, talk radio host, singer, TV personality, stage performer, journalist, and author. He began his career as a comic and vocalist with 1995's album "Danc ...

and included segments where he and other GALECA members discussed the merits of the contenders in various categories. Bouley, known simply as Karel, also hosted the group's ''Dorians Film Toast 2021'', this time a three-hour special on Revry featuring

Daniel Kaluuya Daniel Kaluuya (; born 24 February 1989) is a British actor. Prominent both on screen and stage, he has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and nomin ...

Chloé Zhao Chloé Zhao, born Zhao Ting (, born 31 March 1982), is a Chinese filmmaker, known primarily for her work on independent films. Zhao's debut feature film, ''Songs My Brothers Taught Me'' (2015), premiered at Sundance Film Festival to critical a ...

George C. Wolfe George Costello Wolfe (born September 23, 1954) is an American playwright and director of theater and film. He won a Tony Award in 1993 for directing '' Angels in America: Millennium Approaches'' and another Tony Award in 1996 for his direction o ...

Radha Blank Radha Blank (born September 24, 1976) is an American actress, filmmaker, playwright, rapper, and comedian. Born and raised in New York City, Blank is known for writing, directing, producing, and starring in ''The Forty-Year-Old Version'' (2020), f ...

Lee Isaac Chung Lee Isaac Chung (born October 19, 1978) is an American film director and screenwriter. His debut feature ''Munyurangabo'' (2007) was an Official Selection at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and the first narrative feature film in the Kinyarwanda ...

Cynthia Nixon Cynthia Ellen Nixon (born April 9, 1966) is an American actress, activist, and theater director. For her portrayal of Miranda Hobbes in the HBO series ''Sex and the City'' (1998–2004), she won the 2004 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supp ...

Gabourey Sidibe Gabourey Sidibe ( ; born May 6, 1983) is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the 2009 film '' Precious'', a role that earned her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead, in addition to nominations for the Golden Globe an ...

Rachel McAdams Rachel Anne McAdams (born November 17, 1978) is a Canadian actress. After graduating from a theatre degree program at York University in 2001, she worked in Canadian television and film productions, such as the drama film ''Perfect Pie'' (200 ...

Isabel Sandoval Isabel Sandoval is a Filipina filmmaker and actress who lives in the United States. She directed the films ''Señorita'' (2011), ''Aparisyon'' (2012) and ''Lingua Franca (film), Lingua Franca'' (2019). She also directed a short film called ''Women ...

Colman Domingo Colman Jason Domingo (born November 28, 1969) is an American actor, writer, and director widely known for his performance as Mr. Bones in the Broadway musical '' The Scottsboro Boys'' (2011), and for his role as recovering drug addict Ali on HBO ...

, Rafael Silva,

Harry Hamlin Harry Robinson Hamlin (born October 30, 1951) is an American actor, author, and entrepreneur. He is best known for his roles as Perseus in the 1981 fantasy film '' Clash of the Titans'' and as Michael Kuzak in the legal drama series ''L.A. Law'' ...

Jesse Tyler Ferguson Jesse Tyler Ferguson (born October 22, 1975) is an American actor. From 2009 to 2020, he portrayed Mitchell Pritchett on the sitcom ''Modern Family'', for which he earned five consecutive nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding ...

Deven Green Deven Green (born January 31, 1975) is a Canadian comedian who produces comedy parody videos, including as the satirical character Mrs. Betty Bowers, "America's Best Christian". Early life and career Green was born and raised in Thompson, Man ...

Leslie Jordan Leslie Allen Jordan (April 29, 1955 – October 24, 2022) was an American actor, comedian, writer, and singer. His television roles include Beverley Leslie on ''Will & Grace'' (2001–2006 and 2017–2020), several characters on television in ...

Emerald Fennell Emerald Lilly Fennell (; born 1 October 1985) is an English actress, filmmaker, and writer. She has received many awards and nominations, including an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award, and nomination ...

, California governor

Gavin Newsom Gavin Christopher Newsom (born October 10, 1967) is an American politician and businessman who has been the 40th governor of California since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th lieutenant governor of California fr ...

, Cox and Michaels. "Wilde Artist" recipient

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

did not appear in the show to accept that special award ("to a truly groundbreaking force in film, theater, and/or television"), but said in a statement: "I’m not sure I’m as edgy as past winners (in the Wilde Artist category) like Todd Haynes, Kate McKinnon, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Jordan Peele — but I am honored and humbled. I appreciate all of you entertainment journalists who are so passionate and are working so hard. Keep up the good work!”

Membership

Honorary GALECA members and advisors include esteemed former film critics

David Ansen David Ansen is an American film critic. He was a senior editor for ''Newsweek'', where he served as film critic from 1977 to 2008 and subsequently contribute to the magazined in a freelance capacity. Prior to writing for ''Newsweek'', he served a ...

and Kevin Thomas, groundbreaking lesbian journalist Judy Wieder (former editor-in-chief of ''

The Advocate An advocate is a professional in the field of law. The Advocate, The Advocates or Advocate may also refer to: Magazines * ''The Advocate'' (LGBT magazine), an LGBT magazine based in the United States *''The Harvard Advocate'', a literary magazin ...

''), broadcasting veteran

Jane Velez-Mitchell Jane Velez-Mitchell is a television and social media journalist and author, with specialities in vegan lifestyles, animal rights, addiction and social justice. Early life and career Born to a Puerto Rican mother and an Irish American father, Ve ...

, columnist

Michael Musto Michael Musto (born December 3, 1955) is an American journalist who has long been a prevalent presence in entertainment-related publications, as well as on websites and television shows. Musto is best known as a columnist for ''The Village Voice ...

, former

Jezebel Jezebel (;"Jezebel"
(US) and ) was the daughte ...

editor-in-chief and

Teen Vogue ''Teen Vogue'' is an American online publication, formerly in print, launched in January 2003, as a sister publication to ''Vogue (magazine), Vogue'', targeted at teenagers. Like ''Vogue'', it included stories about fashion and celebrities. Since ...

online executive editor Koa Beck,

Princeton University Princeton University is a private university, private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial Colleges, fourth-oldest ins ...

Dean of the College and feminist writer

Jill Dolan Jill Susan Dolan (May 30, 1957) is an American educator, author, blogger and feminist. She writes on theatre, sexuality studies, and feminist theory. Since July 2015, Dolan has been the Dean of the College at Princeton University, where she is als ...

, noted film critic and talk show host

Bobby Rivers Bobby Rivers is an American television, radio personality and actor. Rivers was the host of the now-defunct ''Top 5'' show on the Food Network, and '' Watch Bobby Rivers'', a critically acclaimed prime-time celebrity talk show on VH1. He blazed ...

, and professor of literature Joseph Bristow, one of the world's leading authorities on Oscar Wilde.

"Ten Best" lists

To commemorate the 2015 film and TV awards season, GALECA revealed its first "Ten Best" list, The Ten Best Movies About the

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

. Included were such films as ''

The Oscar The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

'', ''

California Suite ''California Suite'' is a 1976 play by Neil Simon. Similar in structure to his earlier ''Plaza Suite'', the comedy is composed of four playlets set in Suite 203-04, which consists of a living room and an adjoining bedroom with an ensuite bath, in ...

'', '' For Your Consideration'', and '' The Bodyguard''. More recently, the group's lists include the Ten Best LGBTQ Movies Every Straight Person Should See, Ten Best Actresses of All Time, and Ten Best Films You Didn't Know Were LGBTQ.

Dorians Toast theme songs

Three original songs have been written for GALECA's Dorian Awards ''Toast'' TV specials: ''Look Into the Light'', a pop ballad about the power of movies, and ''A Toast!'', both sung by Morgan Mallory and written and composed by Mallory and

; and an expanded, faster-paced variation on the latter performed by Dave Rooney of The Black Donnellys with additional lyrics by Bouley and Rooney.

History

GALECA and its annual Dorian Awards were created in 2008 in Hollywood, California, by Griffiths, former long-time television critic for ''

Us Weekly ''Us Weekly'' is a weekly celebrity and entertainment magazine based in New York City. ''Us Weekly'' was founded in 1977 by The New York Times Company, who sold it in 1980. It was acquired by Wenner Media in 1986, and sold to American Media Inc ...

'' magazine and contributor to ''Emmy Magazine'' of the

Academy of Television Arts & Sciences The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS), also colloquially known as the Television Academy, is a professional honorary organization dedicated to the advancement of the television industry in the United States. It is a 501(c)(6) non-prof ...

. The first Dorian Awards, for 2009 productions, were announced in January 2010 (nominees were revealed the previous month). GALECA's Dorian Award nominees and winners for 2010 productions were announced in January 2011. Following suit, 2011's Dorian Award nominees and ultimate honorees were revealed in January 2012. The Dorian nominees and winners for 2012 productions were announced in January 2013, and so on. In 2019, GALECA joined forces with the

African-American Film Critics Association The African-American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) is the world's largest group of Black film critics that gives various annual awards for excellence in film and television. It was founded in 2003 in New York City. History The association wa ...

, Latino Entertainment Journalists Association (LEJA), the entertainment and features arm of the

Asian American Journalists Association The Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit educational and professional organization based in San Francisco, California with more than 1,500 members and 21 chapters across the United States and Asia. The current presi ...

, the Online Association of Female Film Critics, and Time's Up Entertainment's CRITICAL initiative to form Critics Groups for Equality in Media (CGEM), to promote diversity in journalism.

2021-22 (Television)

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2022 (Film)

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2020-21 (Television)

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2020 (Film)

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2019-2020 (Television)

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2019

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2018

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2017

2016

2015

2014

George Takei, LGBTQ rights activist and co-star of ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'', thanked GALECA in a YouTube video for naming him their 2014 choice for Timeless Star.

2013

In 2013, Sir

Ian McKellen Sir Ian Murray McKellen (born 25 May 1939) is an English actor. His career spans seven decades, having performed in genres ranging from Shakespearean and modern theatre to popular fantasy and science fiction. Regarded as a British cultural i ...

expressed gratitude to members for honoring him with their 2012 Timeless Star career achievement honor, writing in a note to the group, "I shall try to live up to Galeca's approval."

James Franco James Edward Franco (born April 19, 1978) is an American actor and filmmaker. For his role in '' 127 Hours'' (2010), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor. Franco is known for his roles in films, such as Sam Raimi's ''Spider-Ma ...

, recipient of GALECA's special Wilde Artist of the Year award in 2013, thanked the group by posting a mini art piece noting his honor on Instagram.

2012

Sources -

2011

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2010

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2009

Sources - ''

TheWrap ''TheWrap'' is an American online news website covering the business of entertainment and media via digital, print and live events. It was founded by journalist Sharon Waxman Sharon I. Waxman (born c.1963) is an American author, journalist, ...

'', January 20, 2010, by Lisa Horowitz
/ "Single Man, Glee, Grey Gardens Top Dorian Awards"
/ref>

References

{{reflist

External links

galeca.org
American film awards American television awards LGBT portrayals in mass media LGBT film awards