Daytime TV icon Kelly Ripa and veteran actress Natasha Lyonne are among those being honored at the Variety Power of Women event set for April 4th in NYC. A press release provided to HollywoodLife on March 17 also revealed that young adult author Judy Blume, actress Rosie Perez, and actress/singer Michaela Jaé Rodriguez will also be among the honorees. Writer/comedian Ego Nwodim of Saturday Night Live fame will host the event, presented by Lifetime, and the honorees will appear on the cover of the Power of Women issue, set to be released ahead of the event on March 29.
The annual celebration of women seeks to bestow the honors on what they termed in their release, “the top women working in entertainment.” Kelly, 52, a mom of three and New York Times bestselling author, will be bringing attention to Win, (formerly Women In Need). The Live host recently released a memoir of short stories entitled Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories.
Director, writer, actor and producer Natasha, 43, is currently starring in and producing Peacock’s Poker Face, and recently appeared in Netflix’s trippy 2019 series Russian Doll. The Slums Of Beverly Hills star will be shining a light on the Lower Eastside Girls Club. The prolific White Men Can’t Jump actress Rosie Perez, now a mainstay on Showtime’s Your Honor, is expected to highlight Heart 9/11, a volunteer team of first responders who bonded following the tragic terrorist attacks of 2001.
Judy Blume, a beloved author and household name for young women everywhere, is scheduled to highlight the National Coalition Against Censorship. She’s currently gearing up for the April 2023 release of the film Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, which is based on her adored 1970 novel. She’s also a producer on the movie, which stars Rachel McAdams, among others.
Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is the first trans actress to be nominated in a lead category for an Emmy Award, and to win a Golden Globe Award for her performance as Blanca in FX’s series Pose. She’s also currently appearing in Loot on Apple TV +. She will address her involvement with the Rainforest Alliance on the topic of equal rights.
Variety’s Power Of Women Event is a landmark event each year, and events are held in both New York and Los Angeles. In 2022, honorees included Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, Malala Yousafzai, Oprah Winfrey, producer Ava DuVernay, and actress Elizabeth Olsen.