Fans can watch this year’s show, hosted by actress, podcaster and activist Jameela Jamil, at http://watch.webbyawards.com on May 18 starting at 3 p.m. ET. Katie Couric, Gayle King, Naomi Watts and more are slated to appear as presenters and special guests.
Comedy Central won as the Webby media company of the year for earning the most honors across all Webby categories: 14.
Andra Day and Riz Ahmed, who were Oscar-nominated for their performances in The United States vs. Billie Holiday and Sound of Metal, respectively, won Webbys for best actress and best actor for their work in those films.
Pharrell Williams is the winner of the inaugural Webby Anthem Award. The award honors Williams for working toward racial equity in education and entrepreneurship by empowering a new generation of students in science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics and motivation (S.T.E.A.M.M.) through his nonprofit, YELLOW, and also for supporting Black and Latinx business owners through his newest nonprofit, Black Ambition. (The Anthem Awards, a new venture from The Webbys, will launch this summer. The Anthem Awards will honor mission-driven work across causes in an effort to amplify the voices that spark global change, according to a statement.)
Director Ava DuVernay is the winner of film and video person of the year “for continuing to be a force for good in the entertainment industry with the launch of ARRAY Crew, a database to diversify Hollywood’s below-the-line talent.”
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson receives a special achievement award “for his phenomenal use of social media to connect with people, provide inspiration and motivation to millions of followers globally, and serve fans with new and exclusive content.”
Jimir Reece Davis, aka Amorphous, also receives a special achievement award “for breaking the Internet through his self-released mash-ups and for injecting the Internet with much-needed positivity through his new single ‘Sunshine.’”
Yara Shahidi wins the inaugural Webby advocate of the year award for her commitment to utilizing the Internet and her influence to vocalize issues that impact the Black community and BIPOC communities at large. The award honors an individual who uses their online platform to amplify their commitment to social justice advocacy.
Other special achievement award winners are Dr. Anthony Fauci (person of the year); mathematician Gladys Brown West (lifetime achievement award); Stop AAPI Hate (Manjusha Kulkarni, Cynthia Choi and Russell M. Jeung) (social movement of the year); Among Us (breakout of the year); and Celeste Barber; and José Andrés.
Webby winners are selected by members of the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. The Webbys claim that 2 million votes were cast from Internet fans around the world to choose the winners of the Webby People’s Voice Awards.
This year’s show is dedicated to honoring individuals, organizations and projects that found creative ways to use the Internet to help the world stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This past year, the Internet kept us together when the only option was being apart,” said Claire Graves, president of The Webby Awards. “Our connection has been everything, and our 2021 winners are a testament to this. They have entertained us, helped us uplift one another, explained complex issues affecting our world and inspired global movements.”
Here is a partial list of winners, with an emphasis on music and entertainment awards.
This first grouping of winners won both Webby Awards and Webby People’s Voice Awards:
The Motherly Podcast: Kristen Bell gives us the motherhood advice we all need to hear: best individual episode, features (podcasts).
Hamilton – Twitter Watch Party: events & livestreams, social content series & campaigns (social).
The Daily Show Bonus Tracks: interview/talk show, social content series & campaigns (social).
NPR Music Tiny Desk Concerts: music, video series & channels (video).
Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: comedy, branded entertainment (video).
Kiswe Powers BTS’ Innovative Virtual Concert “Map of the Soul ON:E”: music, general virtual & remote (virtual & remote).
This second grouping of winners won Webby People’s Voice Awards only:
The Daily Show Podcast Universe: scripted fiction, limited-series & specials (podcasts).
Spotify’s An Oral History of The Office: entertainment, limited-series & specials (podcasts).
Jennifer Garner: celebrity/fan, general social (social).
The Daily Show: best overall social, features (social).
Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical: television & film, social video (social).
2020 MTV Video Music Awards: events & live streaming, social video (video).
BTS Carpool Karaoke: variety & reality, general video (video).
Momsplaining with Kristen Bell: comedy: longform, general video (video).
Dua Lipa’s ‘Hallucinate’: animation, general video (video).
Spotify’s Alone with Me: Music, General Websites and Mobile Sites (websites and mobile sites).
This third grouping of winners won Webby Awards only:
The Late Late Show with James Corden: celebrity/fan, general social (social) and entertainment, general social (social).
The Daily Show Twitter: humor, general social (social).
Megan Thee Stallion x New York Times – Protecting Women of Color: best editing, performance & craft (video).
‘Dua Lipa Has New Rules for COVID Dating’: comedy: shortform, general video (video).
To view the full list of winners, visit: winners.webbyawards.com.
