Queen Latifah to Host 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honors
TO HOST THE 47TH ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS
TO BE BROADCAST SUNDAY, DECEMBER 22 ON CBS
America celebrates the artistic achievements of Francis Ford Coppola, Grateful Dead
(Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, the late Phil Lesh, and Bobby Weir), Bonnie Raitt,
Arturo Sandoval, and The Apollo on December 8, 2024
The Kennedy Center presents Beyond the Broadcast tribute performances to Honorees throughout the months of November and December
WASHINGTON—The Kennedy Center and CBS today announced that 2023 Kennedy Center Honors recipient, Grammy Award®-winning musician, critically acclaimed Emmy®– and Golden Globe®-winning and Academy Award®-nominated actor and producer Queen Latifah will host for the first time The 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honors, to be broadcast Sunday, December 22, 2024 from 8:30-11:00 p.m., ET/PT on the CBS Television Network and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on-demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on-demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs)*.
As previously announced, recipients to be honored at the annual national celebration of the arts in Washington, D.C. this December are: acclaimed director and filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola; legendary American rock band the Grateful Dead (Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, the late Phil Lesh, Bobby Weir); blues rock singer-songwriter and guitarist Bonnie Raitt; jazz trumpeter, pianist, and composer Arturo Sandoval; and The Apollo, which will receive a special Honors as an iconic American institution.
The Kennedy Center also announces Beyond the Broadcast—a series of free programs that celebrate each Honoree and enrich audiences’ understanding of their impact. For a complete Beyond the Broadcast events listing, please see the full calendar later in the release.
Throughout its 46-year history, the annual Honors Gala has become the highlight of the Washington cultural and society calendar. On Sunday, December 8, in a star-studded celebration on the Kennedy Center Opera House stage, the 47th class of Kennedy Center Honorees will be saluted by today’s leading performers from New York, Hollywood, and the arts capitals of the world. Seated in the Box Tier of the iconic Kennedy Center Opera House, the Honorees will accept the recognition and gratitude of their peers through performances and tributes. The 47th Kennedy Center Honors Gala concludes with a post-performance party in the Grand Foyer.
The Kennedy Center Honors recognizes and celebrates individuals whose unique contributions have shaped the way we see ourselves, each other and our world. Recipients have each had an impact on the rich tapestry of American life and culture through the performing arts. Whether in music, dance, theater, opera, motion pictures or television, each Kennedy Center Honoree has a unique place in the national consciousness and their influence has inspired audiences from all walks of life. Each year, Honorees are confirmed by the executive committee of the Center’s board of trustees. The Honors are not designated by art form or category of artistic achievement; over the years, the selection process has produced balance among the various arts and artistic disciplines.
The 47th Annual Kennedy Center Honors will be produced by Done+Dusted for a third year, in association with ROK Productions. The event will be executive produced by David Jammy, Elizabeth Kelly and Jack Sussman. The show will be directed by Alex Rudzinski.
About Queen Latifah
Queen Latifah is a Grammy® award-winning musician, critically acclaimed television and Oscar®-nominated film actress, producer, record label president, author, and entrepreneur. Queen Latifah has had amazing success since her career began in Hollywood, becoming the first hip hop artist to be crowned with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006. She received rave reviews, an Academy Award® nomination for Best Supporting Actress, a Golden Globe® nomination, and a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards® nomination for her portrayal of Mama Morton in the feature musical Chicago. She also received an Emmy® Award nomination, a Golden Globe® win, and a SAG Award® win for her role in the cable film Life Support. Queen Latifah currently stars in and executive produces the CBS series The Equalizer. She most recently received a National Medal of the Arts from the United States Government and was a 2023 honoree at the 46th annual Kennedy Center Honors.
Making her big screen debut in Spike Lee’s 1991 film, Jungle Fever, Queen Latifah then starred in Set It Off and co-starred with Holly Hunter and Danny DeVito in the critically acclaimed Living Out Loud. From 1993-1998, Latifah starred in the network comedy Living Single. Following Chicago, she starred in and executive-produced the box office hit Bringing Down the House. Her additional film credits include The Secret Life of Bees, alongside Jennifer Hudson, Alicia Keys and Dakota Fanning; Neil Meron and Craig Zadan’s Hairspray; Mad Money, opposite Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes; Just Wright; Joyful Noise; The Last Holiday; and Beauty Shop. She also starred in and executive-produced the cable movie Life Support and the cable movie adaptation of Steel Magnolias.
In May 2015, Queen Latifah made her way back to the small screen, earning an Emmy® Award nomination, Golden Globe® nomination and a SAG Award® for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries for her role in the cable film Bessie, which she also produced. Recognition for Queen Latifah’s recording artistry includes six Grammy® Award nominations, as well as a win for Best Solo Rap Performance in 1994. In 2004, she was nominated for Best Female Rap Solo Performance for “Go Head.” In 2005, she was nominated for Best Jazz Vocal Album for The Dana Owens Album, and in 2008, she was nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for Trav’lin Light.
*Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers will have access to stream live via the live feed of their local CBS affiliate on the service, as well as on-demand. Paramount+ Essential subscribers will not have the option to stream live, but will have access to on-demand the day after the special airs.
Beyond the Broadcast:
Celebrating the 47th Kennedy Center Honorees
The Kennedy Center presents a special series of free performances, film screenings, and immersive experiences to celebrate the legendary artists recognized as this year’s Kennedy Center Honorees. These events are free, but registration is required.
Honors Beyond the Broadcast: Icons Onscreen
As part of Millennium Stage’s Extraordinary Cinema series, enjoy a collection of remarkable films that highlight the Honorees’ iconic legacies and overwhelming impact on American culture.
- Bonnie Raitt: Road Tested—November 10, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in the Justice Forum.
- For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story—November 17, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in the Justice Forum.
- The Godfather: Part II—November 24, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in the Justice Forum.
- Peggy Sue Got Married—December 1, 2024 at 3:00 p.m. in the Justice Forum.
Honors Beyond the Broadcast: Icons: Legacy
Join us for celebratory tributes, immersive experiences, and Honoree-curated performances on the Millennium Stage, echoing the stories that Kennedy Center Honorees have given to the world. These events will be livestreamed on Kennedy-center.org.
- BERTHA: Grateful Drag with special guest MC Taylor of Hiss Golden Messenger featuring Host Queen Sage Daytona – December 4, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Terrace Theater.
- YahZarah in collaboration with The Apollo – December 5, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Grand Foyer.
- Maia Sharp & Amythyst Kiah in a Songwriter’s showcase curated by Bonnie Raitt – December 6, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. in the Grand Foyer.
Additional Special Honors Programming
- Back in Black: A Tribute to the Sartorial History of Black Women at the Kennedy Center Honors – November 23, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Justice Forum. Programmed by the Center’s Social Impact team.
- On the occasion of the Apollo Theater receiving a Kennedy Center Honors this year, the Historic Howard Theatre will host “A Toast to the Apollo” – December 6, 2024 at 6:30 p.m. at The Howard Theatre (620 T Street NW, Washington D.C., DC 20001). Note: Tickets are available here. Hosted by star of screen and stage, Phylicia Rashad, the evening will feature tributes from Apollo icons, including performances by local and national artists including renown urban harmonicist Frédéric Yonnet, American vocal girl group En Vogue, and a special tribute performance by Tony Award® and Grammy Award®–winning artist and icon Jennifer Holliday.
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CBS is the Exclusive Sponsor of the Kennedy Center Honors.
Boeing is the Exclusive Underwriter of the Kennedy Center Honors Gala.
Delta Air Lines is the Official Airline of the Kennedy Center Honors.
Mrs. Tatiana B. Copeland is the Medallion Ceremony Chair.
Stephen and Christine Schwarzman are the Honors Gala Chairs.
The Kennedy Center Honors Founding Producer is George Stevens, Jr.
Kennedy Center Honors Ticket Information:
For ticket inquiries, please visit www.kennedy-center.org/honorsinfo.
For more information about the Kennedy Center, please visit our website.
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