Scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 5 at the Fairmont Century Plaza, the Los Angeles ceremony of the 2023 Writers Guild Awards will be hosted by “Abbott Elementary” star Janelle James, the guild announced last week. The awards honor outstanding writing in film, television, new media, news (broadcast and digital), radio/audio, and promotional categories.
“I am honored to be hosting the WGA Awards this year,” said James in a statement. “I was told that I can say whatever I want. And after making sure that was true and that it would not be televised…that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
In “Abbott Elementary,” James plays the hilariously unprincipled “Principal Ava.” Since the show’s premiere in 2021, James has won numerous awards and accolades for her breakout performance, including a Black Reel Award and a Hollywood Critics Association Award; nominations for Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, Critics Choice, Independent Spirit, and Screen Actors Guild Awards. The ABC sitcom is currently up for two Writers Guild Awards this year, including “Comedy Series” and”New Series.”
“A few years ago, when I first worked with the hilarious and fearless Janelle James, my goal was to get her to host the WGA Awards,” commented Hugh Fink, executive producer of the Los Angeles ceremony, on choosing James as host. As a joke, he added, “To commemorate this amazing event, all nominees will be receiving a $10,000 cash gift, redeemable at all participating FTX Bitcoin Exchanges.”
For more information on the WGA Awards, including a full list of nominees, click here.
About Janelle James
After launching her stand-up career at an open mic in a biker bar, James has gone on to tour with comedy legends such as Chris Rock, Amy Schumer, and David Cross. In 2016, James was named one of the 50 Funniest People in Brooklyn and was featured in Just For Laughs Montreal’s New Faces showcase. James released her debut comedy album “Black and Mild” in September 2017 across all streaming platforms. That same year, James got her first TV writing credits on “The Rundown with Robin Thede.” James would go on to write and have a recurring role on Showtime’s “Black Monday” and Apple TV+’s “Central Park,” and in 2020, her podcast “You In Danger Gurl” was listed as Spotify’s top comedy podcast.