Cannes Lions has announced that Emmy Award-winning producer and writer Lorne Michaels will be honored with the Festival’s first Entertainment Person of the Year award. Presented in recognition of the fundamental role that entertainment plays in the marketing and communications industry, the award honors an individual whose creativity inspires others to produce truly compelling, meaningful and entertaining content.
A master storyteller, Michaels has been a driving force in culture for almost four decades, creating impactful, award-winning entertainment across television, film and theatre. He is best known as the creator and executive producer of hit U.S. show Saturday Night Live, the longest-running, weekly, late-night television program in TV history that’s currently in its 44th season.
Philip Thomas, chairman of Cannes Lions, said, “We’re delighted to present this very special award to Lorne Michaels. An esteemed industry legend, he is an individual who perfectly illustrates the impact of great storytelling and culture, which can support the marketing and communications industry to strive for creative excellence and engage and inspire audiences across the world.”
To celebrate Michaels’ distinguished career and contribution to entertainment, he will be presented with the award at the 66th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, during the Thursday night Awards Show on June 20, 2019. Michaels will also be speaking on stage as part of the Cannes Lions content program on Thursday, in the session “In a World of Disruption, Storytelling Wins,” hosted by NBCUniversal. The session will unpack the idea that great stories will always connect with audiences.
Michaels has won 16 Emmys as a writer and producer. Along with SNL, Michaels is currently the executive producer for shows including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Shrill, AP Bio and Documentary Now. His TV specials have featured top talent, from Steve Martin and Paul Simon to most recently, Adele.
On Broadway, he’s a producer of the Tony Award-nominated musical Mean Girls and had previously produced and directed Gilda Radner – Live From New York. Additionally, Michaels many hit film credits include Mean Girls, Three Amigos, and Wayne’s World.
In 2016, Michaels was awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor for his significant cultural contributions to the country. He also is a member of the Order of Canada. In 2008 and 2015, he was named one of Time magazine’s “Time 100”–a list of the most influential people in the world.
The full Cannes Lions Festival program, running from June 17-21, 2019.
