The award show was presented by Orange is the New Black’s Laverne Cox, while the night also saw Jennifer Lawrence presenting Robert De Niro with the Excellence in Media Award.
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For the special occasion, the two-time Oscar victor was introduced by his Joy and Silver Linings Playbook co-star Jennifer Lawrence, and De Niro could help but gush over the celebrated actress while speaking with ET backstage after the awards.
She said: “Thank you for the unconditional love, because it’s very hard for me to have that, I haven’t experienced much of it”.
The documentary De Niro produced, Remembering the Artist, tells the story of the actor’s father, Robert De Niro, Sr., who was a gay artist struggling for acceptance in a hard time.
Mariah Carey is no stranger to honors and awards, but the pop star said that her GLAAD Ally Award, which she received at the annual event on Saturday in NY, was something more. “He voiced the hope that this documentary would allow his children to fully understand the urgency of the present”, Lawrence continued. “He said, ‘I want them to stop and take a moment and realize that you sometimes have to do things now, instead of later, because later may be twenty years from now and that’s too late'”. Helen happens to be just a 4-year-old girl, by the way. “They’re both gay”, she said to everyone’s laughter. “‘Just kidding. I was told by five different people to cut that and I was like, ‘Hell no”.
On taking to the stage at the organisation’s awards (GLAAD works with the media to communicate the challenges that LGBT people face, aiming to “tackle tough issues to shape the narrative and provoke dialogue that leads to cultural change”), Lawrence couldn’t resist indulging her mischievous sense of humour. That aside, Bob has asked me to present him with GLAAD’s Excellence in Media Award because, in his words, I am like a daughter to him…
The 27th annual awards ceremony held in NY by GLAAD seeks to recognise fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the LGBT community in the media. I don’t think you know what it’s like to be really discriminated against. “She’s a good friend-a respectful, loving friend”.
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“Bob is the kindest person I’ve ever met”, she continued on. “He probably was [conflicted about his sexuality] being from that generation, especially from a small town upstate”. So I don’t know why we’re here’.
