Keegan-Michael Key to Host 2016 IFP Gotham Awards Ceremony
by Erik Luers on October 31, 2016
New York, NY (November 2, 2016) – The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), the nation’s premier member organization of independent storytellers, announced today that Emmy® Award-winner Keegan-Michael Key—actor, writer, and co-creator of Comedy Central’s “Key & Peele”—will host the 2016 IFP Gotham Awards. The ceremony will take place November 28, 2016 at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
“We’re excited to have Keegan-Michael at the helm of this year’s Gotham Awards celebrations,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director of IFP and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP. “His unique presence and brand of humor will be a perfect addition to what we expect will be a lively and exciting show.”
Keegan-Michael Key is one of the most creative and diverse talents in the worlds of film, television, and theater today. He’s sought-after as an actor, writer, and creator, and was named among Time Magazine’s “Most Influential People of 2014” and Entertainment Weekly’s “Entertainers of the Year of 2012.”
In addition to multiple nominations and an Emmy® Award win for his work on “Key & Peele,” he received a 2016 Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. He also received a 2016 Emmy® nomination for his voiceover work in Crackle’s animated comedy “SuperMansion.” Key can currently be seen in Mike Birbiglia’s critically acclaimed Don’t Think Twice, which premiered at the 2016 South by Southwest and Tribeca Film Festivals.
On television, Key has appeared on the Emmy® Award-winning FX series “Fargo,” USA’s “Playing House,” Adult Swim’s “Children’s Hospital,” and NBC’s “Parks & Rec.” He was also a series regular on FOX’s “MADtv” for six seasons and CBS’s “Gary Unmarried.” Additional TV credits include “The League,” “The Middle,” “How I Met Your Mother,” “Bob’s Burgers,” “Reno 911!” and “ER.”
In film, 2016 saw Key starring in Warner Bros.’ Keanu, which he also co-produced. He recently wrapped production on John Hamburg’s Why Him?, in which he stars alongside James Franco, Bryan Cranston, and Megan Mullally. The film is set to open this Christmas. He also lent his vocal talents to Warner Brothers’ Storks, which opened in September. Other past film work includes Pitch Perfect 2, Horrible Bosses 2, Let’s Be Cops, Wanderlust, Just Go with It, Role Models, Hell Baby, Afternoon Delight, and Due Date. He has also done vocal work for Angry Birds, Hotel Transylvania 2 and The Wild Bunch.
Keegan is currently in production on Nick Stoller’s comedy series “Friends from College,” which follows a group of Harvard alumni and their adult successes – or lack thereof. The show will premiere on Netflix in 2017.
The Premier Sponsor of the 2016 Gotham Awards is The New York Times, and the Platinum Sponsors are deep euphoria Calvin Klein and Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Office of Film, Music and Entertainment.
About IFP
The Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) champions the future of storytelling by connecting artists with essential resources at all stages of development and distribution. The organization fosters a vibrant and sustainable independent storytelling community through its year-round programs, which include Independent Film Week, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Independent Film Awards and the Made in NY Media Center by IFP, a tech and media incubator space developed with the New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment.
IFP represents a growing network of storytellers around the world, and plays a key role in developing 350 new feature and documentary works each year. During its 37-year history, IFP has supported over 10,000+ projects and offered resources to more than 20,000+ filmmakers, including Debra Granik, Miranda July, Michael Moore, Dee Rees, and Benh Zeitlin. More info at www.ifp.org.
About the Gotham Independent Film Awards by IFP
The Gotham Independent Film Awards by IFP, selected by distinguished juries and presented in New York City, the home of independent film, are the first honors of the film awards season. This public showcase honors the filmmaking community, expands the audience for independent films, and supports the work that IFP does behind the scenes throughout the year to bring such films to fruition.
For information on attending: http://gotham.ifp.org
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