Variety is pleased to announce the honorees for their upcoming Power of Women issue on Thursday, Sept. 17, with the event the following Wednesday. Sept. 23 in Beverly Hills. The event, in partnership with Lifetime, celebrates the Power of Women honorees, who will each appear on the cover of the issue, as well as the accomplished women profiled in the annual Women’s Impact Report, which highlights leaders in the entertainment industry.
This year’s Power of Women honorees include Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony Award-winning artist Jennifer Hudson, whose powerhouse vocals and commanding performances have made her one of the entertainment industry’s most celebrated talents. As she gears up for the Sept. 14 premiere of the fifth season of 18-time Emmy-nominated “The Jennifer Hudson Show,” she is supporting the Jennifer Hudson Foundation. Honoree Pearlena Igbokwe has spent more than 35 years helping shape the medium of television across prestige cable, broadcast, studios, and now streaming, earning a reputation as one of its most influential leaders through her ability to identify culture-defining stories, champion talent, and advance a more inclusive industry.
She is supporting A Better Chance. Emmy Award-winning and Academy Award-nominated actress, producer, and writer Melissa McCarthy also made this year’s Power of Women list. Her acclaimed work across television, blockbuster comedies and dramatic films has established her as one of Hollywood’s most versatile performers and she will next star in Netflix’s upcoming “The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey.” She is supporting the Joyful Heart Foundation.
The final honoree is Academy Award-nominated, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress, producer, and recipient of the Nobel Peace Summit Award for her global activism, Sharon Stone, who was most recently seen in HBO’s final season of “Euphoria,” has spent more than four decades portraying complex and unforgettable characters, challenging industry expectations and cementing her status as one of the world’s most influential actors. She is supporting the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). Variety will also honor TV personality, bestselling author and podcast host Paige DeSorbo with the Variety Courage Award, presented by Purina, which recognizes her powerful advocacy for survivors of abuse.
In 2024, DeSorbo opened up on her podcast about surviving an abusive relationship at 19 — an experience she’d kept private for over a decade — and has since used her platform to remind others they are not alone. Through her relationship with her cat, Daphne, DeSorbo illustrates the powerful role pets can play in helping survivors feel safe, supported and loved. The recognition ties closely to the Purple Leash Project, a partnership with Purina and nonprofit RedRover that works together to support domestic violence survivors on both ends of the leash by helping create more safe spaces for survivors and their pets.
Nearly half (48%) of domestic abuse survivors delay leaving abuse because they cannot take their pet with them, yet only 20% of domestic violence shelters nationwide currently accept pets. Together, Purina and RedRover are working toward providing one million safe nights for domestic abuse survivors and their pets by the end of 2030, to make sure they can stay together and heal together. Since 2019, they have awarded more than $2 million in grants to advance pet-friendly shelter access, so survivors don’t have to choose between their safety and the pets they love.
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