The nominees for the 33rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards were announced this afternoon, with the annual awards honoring media for “fair, accurate, and inclusive representations of LGBTQ people and issues.” Of note here in the world of horror, Don Mancini‘s “Chucky” series, the small screen debut for the franchise, has been nominated this year.
“Chucky,” which aired on SYFY and USA last year – a second season is on the way this year! – has been nominated for “Outstanding New TV Series” at this year’s GLAAD Media Awards!
The debut season of the series centered on Zackary Arthur’s Jake Wheeler, a gay teen who becomes the target of Chucky’s insanity. Jake ends up defeating Chucky in the end and finding love in the process, with the season putting Jake’s relationship with Devon Evans (Bjorgvin Arnarson) front and center. Mancini himself is a gay man, and has made it clear that the inspiration for Jake’s story came directly from his own life. Of course, the “Chucky” franchise has long been LGBTQ-friendly, and this is one nomination that’s well earned and deserved.
“Media can create positive change and this year’s nominees represent powerful projects, stories, and creators that positively shifted culture and enlightened audiences with new and impactful LGBTQ stories,” said GLAAD President & CEO Sarah Kate Ellis. “There are more nominees this year than ever before, highlighting a growing landscape of LGBTQ visibility, and serving as a reminder to the critical role that film, television, music, journalism, and other forms of media can play in growing LGBTQ acceptance in the face of ongoing attacks against our community.”
“After decades of LGBTQ characters being excluded, sidelined, or misrepresented on television, it is incredibly powerful to see how many series introduced fresh, impactful, and fully developed LGBTQ characters and storylines in their first season, many of which were some of the most beloved shows of the year,” Sarah Kate Ellis also said in a statement today. “The introduction of the Outstanding New TV Series category recognizes the shows and creators getting LGBTQ inclusion right from the beginning, and encourages other showrunners to include LGBTQ characters and stories that enlighten and entertain in new projects.”
Showtime’s “Yellowjackets” has also been nominated in the same category, while Netflix and director Leigh Janiak’s Fear Street trilogy is nominated for “Outstanding TV Movie.”
“The GLAAD Media Awards ceremonies, which fund GLAAD’s work to accelerate LGBTQ acceptance, will be held in Los Angeles at the Beverly Hilton on Saturday, April 2, 2022 and in New York at the Hilton Midtown on Friday, May 6, 2022.”
Head over to GLAAD’s website for the full list of nominees.
