GLAAD announced plans for its New York fundraising gala scheduled for Oct. 23, where producer Bruce Cohen will receive the Vito Russo Award. The honor recognizes individuals working to advance LGBTQ acceptance. Ross Mathews will serve as host for the event, with Oscar winner Ariana DeBose presenting the award and Tony winner Alex Newell performing.
Cohen’s career spans both entertainment and advocacy work. He earned Academy Awards as a producer on American Beauty and received additional best picture nominations for Milk and Silver Linings Playbook. His television and theater credits include Pushing Daisies, the film and Broadway adaptation of Big Fish, Blink Twice, The Inheritance, and other productions. He was previously honored with a National Medal of Arts in 2023.
Beyond his creative work, Cohen has been involved with numerous LGBTQ and civil rights organizations including the Human Rights Campaign, National LGBTQ Task Force, and American Federation for Equal Rights. He began collaborating with GLAAD over 30 years ago as co-chair of an initiative. Sarah Kate Ellis, GLAAD’s leadership, praised Cohen’s combined commitment to creative projects, philanthropy, and grassroots advocacy efforts that support LGBTQ communities and strengthen democratic participation.
Cohen joins a roster of previous Vito Russo Award recipients that includes Billy Porter, Michael Patrick King, Ricky Martin, Anderson Cooper, and Tom Ford, among others. He and DeBose have previously collaborated as creative director and host for the inaugural Freeley Fest.
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