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Global streaming platform Izzy, which specializes in Israeli shows and films, is set to exclusively launch “Kugel,” the highly anticipated prequel to Netflix hit “Shtisel,” on Feb. 28 to its subscribers across more than 60 countries. Variety spoke to Nati Dinnar, Izzy’s co-founder and CEO, about the show and why he was so keen to acquire it for the streamer.

“Shtisel” launched in 2013 on Israeli network Yes and ran for three seasons on Yes and on Netflix outside Israel, fast becoming a worldwide hit. The series scored 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and was praised as “groundbreaking television” by the New York Times, won 11 awards at the Israeli Television Academy Awards in 2013 and took home six awards in 2015.

Izzy will be launching “Kugel” in 12 languages, including English, Hebrew, French, Spanish and Portuguese. “Shtisel,” which is also to be found on Izzy, followed the lives of the extended Shtisel family – a warm, closely-knit and argumentative ultra-Orthodox family in Jerusalem.

Global powerhouse Fremantle, international streaming service Izzy, production house Abot Hameiri and Israeli broadcaster Yes have partnered on the distribution of drama series “Kugel,” the prequel to the hit series “Shtisel.”

“Kugel” will launch on Izzy early next year, appealing to fans of two of the main characters of “Shtisel,” Nuchem (Sasson Gabai) and his daughter Libi (Hadas Yaron).

“Shtisel” followed the lives of a tight-knit ultra-Orthodox family in Jerusalem. Previously available in the U.S. on Netflix, all three seasons of “Shtisel” were acquired earlier this year by Amazon Prime Video.

“Kugel” is written by “Shtisel” co-creator Yehonatan Indursky. The commissioning broadcaster is Yes, which holds rights in Israel. Fremantle handles global sales. It is produced by Fremantle, Fremantle’s Abot Hameiri and Menuetto Film. (See the trailer here.)

The series takes places when Libi lived with Nuchem among the ultra-Orthodox community of Antwerp, Belgium, long before she met her future husband,...

The Shtisel universe is expanding.

The smash Israeli series about the trials and tribulations of an orthodox Jewish family is being handed a prequel titled Kugel, following Libi Shtisel in Belgium years before she marries Akiva.

From Shtisel co-creator Yehonatan Indursky, Kugel will launch next year on Israeli net Yes and global streamer Izzy. The show will tell the story of Libi (Hadas Yaron) and her father Nuchem (Sasson Gabai). Nuchem is a charming jewellery dealer, unafraid of bending the rules to make a sale. But when his wife Yides (Mili Avital) finally tires of his swindling and says she wants a divorce, their family life is thrown into disarray – Nuchem spends his days trying to save his marriage and achieve his dream of one day being a mogul, and his nights courting Pnina Baumbach, a recently-widowed woman who inherited a restaurant that specializes in fine Jerusalem-style noodle kugels, hence the name.

Shtisel, the Israeli drama about an ultra-Orthodox family that became an unlikely global hit, is getting a spinoff.

Shtisel producers Abot Hameiri are teaming with Israeli’s Yes network and streamer Izzy to deliver Kugel, the next chapter in the lives of father-daughter duo Nuchem and Libi Shtisel, played by Sasson Gabai and Hadas Yaron. Kugel will move the action from Israel to 1990s Antwerp, Belgium, exploring Nuchem’s life as a jewelry dealer and Libi’s ambitions to pursue a career as a writer while navigating the complexities of family, faith, and love.

The eight-episode series, written by Shtisel co-creator Yehonatan Indursky and directed by Erez Kavel, will premiere on Izzy in early 2025. The series is being co-produced as a collaboration between Abot Hameiri, parent company Fremantle, and Menuetto Film. Fremantle is selling the show internationally.

Created and written by Indursky and Ori Elon, Shtisel originally aired on Yes...

Through her shingle Pretty Matches Productions, Sarah Jessica Parker is executive producing Kim A. Snyder’s “The Librarians,” one of 91 films in Sundance’s 2025 Premieres lineup.

The feature documentary follows a group of librarians, dubbed FReadom Fighters, who have resisted book bans in Texas, Florida and beyond. It is produced by Snyder, Jana Edelbaum and Janique Robillard, and exec produced by Parker, Pretty Matches co-founder Alison Benson and Maria Cuomo Cole.

“It’s about the librarians across our country who’ve been fighting against these book bans,” Parker explains to Variety at the Red Sea Film Festival. “They have been standing up to the ideology that prevents children from having access to certain books and they have put their own lives and their family’s lives at risk, but they have not backed down.”

Parker’s commitment to the world of books and reading began as a child, and she...

The coming-of-age drama “Out of My Mind” from Disney+ and Bleecker Street’s dramedy “Ezra” are among the films recognized by the Ruderman Family Foundation for their “groundbreaking commitment to disability inclusion in Hollywood.”

The films have received Ruderman’s Seal of Authentic Representation. Both projects were cast by Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee.

“The Ruderman Family Foundation proudly acknowledges Kerry Barden and Paul Schnee for their groundbreaking contributions to Hollywood’s ongoing evolution toward authentic disability representation — a critical shift that reflects the entertainment industry’s growing commitment to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility,” said Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “In fact, all five new recipients of the Seal of Authentic Representation have enabled viewers to discover a crucial narrative of empowerment.”

“Out of My Mind” stars Phoebe-Rae Taylor as Melody, a nonverbal wheelchair user with cerebral palsy whose inner dialogue is voiced by Jennifer Aniston. The...

Bobby Farrelly’s sports comedy film “Champions” is among the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Seal of Authentic Representation awardees — an award that recognizes productions that practice inclusion and portray authentic representations of people with disabilities in the entertainment industry.

Applauded for its decision to open auditions to actors with disabilities, “Champions” is among five productions receiving the award in a list of honorees that includes ABC drama series “The Company You Keep,” Momentum Pictures’ comedy-drama film “Wildflower,” Netflix drama miniseries “All the Light We Cannot See” and Netflix fantasy miniseries “The Witcher: Blood Origin.”

For a production to be awarded the seal, it must meet two criteria: feature actors with disabilities with at least five lines of dialogue in a speaking role and be in or on the verge of general release. As many as 10 actors with learning disabilities starred alongside Woody Harrelson in “Champions,” with the movie conducting thousands...

Eva Longoria is being honored by the Ruderman Family Foundation for her ongoing commitment to supporting people with disabilities.

The actress, director, producer, entrepreneur and activist was announced Monday as the 2023 Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion recipient by the foundation, which has for more than two decades advocated for and advanced the inclusion of people with disabilities throughout society. Longoria is being honored for her work with Eva’s Heroes, a nonprofit founded in 2006 and focused on enriching the lives of people living with intellectual disabilities through unique recreation and socialization experiences. The organization offers an inclusive setting for teens and adults built on four tenets: interact, grow, love and learn.

“Eva Longoria strongly embodies our foundation’s commitment to advancing the inclusion of people with disabilities — not only due to her tireless work on the issue but also through just how personal this mission has been for her,...

Eva Longoria has been selected to receive the Ruderman Family Foundation’s annual honor recognizing prominent cultural figures who do advocacy work on behalf of the disabled.

Longoria founded the organization Eva’s Heroes in 2006 to help those with intellectual disabilities. The cause is personal to Longoria, whose older sister Liza was born with an intellectual disability. In 2012, Longoria also established the Eva Longoria Foundation to help advocate for Latino women through education and entrepreneurship.

“I’m so honored to be recognized as the recipient of this year’s Morton E. Ruderman Award. My older sister Liza was born with an intellectual disability, so my mom instilled in all of us early on the importance of giving back to our community, which is why I founded Eva’s Hereos to provide a platform to advocate for the rights of people with disabilities around the country,” said Longoria.

The foundation’s Morton E.

It is no secret that social media can wield untold power. Influencers and celebrities have spent the past two decades carefully cultivating a social media presence and identity in hopes of drawing in their audience.

Simultaneously, with millions clinging to their every word at a time when hate is skyrocketing online, there can also be a substantial downside associated with public figures’ deep influence.

This is particularly true when it comes to antisemitism, which rose to a record-high level in the U.S. during 2022, according to the Anti-Defamation League (Adl). In addition to the 3,700 incidents of antisemitic assault, vandalism and harassment recorded that year, marking a 36% increase from 2021, antisemitism is also surging in the realm of public opinion and perception. The Adl reported that 20% of Americans believe in six or more antisemitic tropes, significantly more than the 11% figured that the organization documented in 2019.

On an annual basis, the FBI finds...

HBO’s post-apocalyptic hit The Last of Us and Fox’s crime anthology Accused were among the projects that earned the 2023 Seal of Authentic Representation from the Ruderman Family Foundation.

Floodlight Pictures’ Oscar-winning 2022 short film An Irish Goodbye, along with NBC’s medical drama New Amsterdam were also honored. All honorees are celebrated for their casting decisions and commitment to full inclusiveness and authentic representation of people with disabilities.

The Oscar winner for best live-action short, An Irish Goodbye, was the only film recognized this year as “the latest defining moment in the entertainment industry’s growing embrace of inclusion,” Jay Ruderman, Ruderman Family Foundation president, said in a statement. The film follows estranged brothers, Turlough and Lorcan, after one decides to send the other to live with a family member on the other side of Ireland. James Martin, an actor with Down syndrome, portrays Lorcan, a farmer dedicated to...

One year after the landmark success for Best Picture winner “Coda” at the Academy Awards, the 2023 Oscars presented the latest opportunity for Hollywood to show the world where it stands on inclusion and diversity.

On Oscars night, through a combination of memorable moments and inclusive components of the ceremony, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences demonstrated its growing commitment to embracing inclusion and accessibility for all.

For the second time, a free Asl livestream was available on the Academy’s YouTube channel. The livestream was updated this year to enhance accessibility for viewers. On the red carpet, a team of Asl interpreters helped participants more effectively engage with fans and viewers at home, with members of the media receiving guidelines on how to make their pre-show coverage more accessible. Meanwhile, stage accessibility included not only ramp access but a stage wheelchair lift for the first time as well.

Click here to read the full article.

Selena Gomez is being recognized and honored for her work in mental health advocacy.

Gomez was selected by the Boston-based Ruderman Family Foundation — which aims to expand access to essential mental health programs and services — as the recipient of its 2022 Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion. Gomez was honored for her “dedication to raising mental health awareness and her commitment to expanding access to mental health services and education for young people around the world.”

“I am honored to be the recipient of this year’s Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion,” Gomez said in a statement. “Mental Health impacts all of us, and we each have a role to play in ensuring that everyone – regardless of their background – has access to mental health services. I hope by sharing my own story and using my platform, we can empower each other and more...

“Cha Cha Real Smooth” and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” are among the recent honorees of the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Seal of Authentic Representation, Variety has learned exclusively.

The Foundation recognizes films and television series that include authentic representation of people with disabilities. Vanessa Burghardt, an actor with autism, plays Domino’s (Dakota Johnson) autistic daughter Lola in the comedy-drama film “Cha Cha Real Smooth.”

“From the moment the film’s creator, Cooper Raiff, saw Vanessa’s audition, he knew instantly that she was our Lola. No one could deny her talent but authenticity was important to everyone, so Cooper changed the script to age up the character and that was the end of it. Looking back, I cannot imagine another person playing Lola,” said producer Jessica Switch in a statement. “Vanessa was perfect. She was extremely professional and sweet on set. She nailed every take and always came prepared.

The Ruderman Family Foundation selected five more recipients of its Seal of Authentic Representation: Fox’s “9-1-1,” Apple TV Plus’s “Coda,” Freeform’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Okay” and Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever” and “The One.”

Marlee Matlin, who is one of the stars of “Coda,” has also received the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion for her lifelong activism for people with disabilities.

“Full inclusiveness and authentic representation is so important to me,” Matlin said in a statement. “My first theatrical film, ‘Children of a Lesser God,’ was the first to star a Deaf actor in a leading role. Though it has been 34 years, ‘Coda’ has broken barriers in the feature world just like my first film, this time featuring not one but three Deaf actors in leading roles, playing each authentically. I hope that this recognition will serve as an example...

Exclusive: Sony Pictures Entertainment has become the fourth major studio to sign the Ruderman Family Foundation’s pledge to audition actors with disabilities for each of its new productions. The Foundation says that Spe’s commitment also furthers its campaign to continue to improve the portrayal of disabilities in films and TV shows.

“Sony Pictures values the partnership and relationship we have with the Ruderman Family Foundation and their tremendous support in furthering opportunity for the disability community,” said Paul Martin, Spe’s chief diversity officer.

The Ruderman Foundation is one of the nation’s leading advocates for the disabled – and, for many years, was one of the harshest critics of Hollywood’s portrayal of people with disabilities.

CBS Entertainment was the first to sign the pledge, in June 2019, followed by NBCUniversal in January of this year, and Paramount Pictures in May.

The pledge states that “We recognize that disability is central to diversity,...

A Quiet Place Part II and Godzilla vs. Kong are among the latest recipients of the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Seal of Authentic Representation, which recognizes movies and television shows that feature actors with disabilities.

“It is gratifying to see the two highest-grossing movies of 2021 making authentic representation a priority in their casting,” Jay Ruderman, president of the foundation, said in a statement. “It’s further testament that the entertainment industry is increasingly opening up to disability being an important facet of diversity. We applaud all five recipients of this current installment of the award for championing inclusion and encourage ...

A Quiet Place Part II and Godzilla vs. Kong are among the latest recipients of the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Seal of Authentic Representation, which recognizes movies and television shows that feature actors with disabilities.

“It is gratifying to see the two highest-grossing movies of 2021 making authentic representation a priority in their casting,” Jay Ruderman, president of the foundation, said in a statement. “It’s further testament that the entertainment industry is increasingly opening up to disability being an important facet of diversity. We applaud all five recipients of this current installment of the award for championing inclusion and encourage ...

Paramount Pictures has become the latest studio to adopt the Ruderman Family Foundation’s guidelines for auditioning actors with disabilities for studio productions.

“Inclusion of individuals with disabilities is central to an authentic commitment to diversity in our industry and in our community,” Paramount Pictures chairman-ceo Jim Gianopulos said in a statement. “We are proud to adopt these guidelines as a crucial step in the ongoing work of prioritizing and furthering diversity and inclusion both in the making and in the telling of the stories we share with audiences everywhere.”

Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation, told Variety that Paramount’s adoption of these guidelines is “the latest milestone for inclusion” in the entertainment industry.

“By formally committing to audition actors with disabilities for studio productions, Paramount Pictures has taken a significant step toward cementing a culture of inclusion that the company has already put into practice for years,...

Exclusive: In advance of Sunday’s Oscars, the Ruderman Family Foundation has given a $1 million grant to the Academy Foundation of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to advance its diversity and inclusion efforts with respect to people with disabilities. The Ruderman Foundation is one of the nation’s leading advocates for the disabled – and for many years, one of the harshest critics of Hollywood’s portrayal of people with disabilities.

The grant will support three main avenues of diversity and inclusion across the Academy’s activities, programming and educational services. These include inclusion and accessibility initiatives at the new Academy Museum; support for an Academy Film Archive cataloging project for scholars and researchers; and additional funding for the Academy Gold Rising, an internship program for college-age students and emerging professionals from communities underrepresented in the film industry.

Content and accessibility services will be funded at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures,...

The casting of performers with disabilities should be part of Hollywood’s ongoing efforts to be more inclusive, but it’s often not, even though the Americans with Disability Act of 1990 makes it just as illegal to discriminate against the disabled as it is any other protected group.

“Disability is consistently overlooked in the conversation about diversity and inclusion,” said Anita Hollander, national chair of SAG-AFTRA’s Performers with Disabilities Committee, who hosted the union’s panel Thursday on disability inclusion in Hollywood. The discussion was part of the guild’s Stop the Hate summit.

“There are just too few opportunities for performers with disabilities,” said Camryn Manheim, SAG-AFTRA’s national secretary-treasurer, in her opening remarks. “In fact, people with disabilities make up less than 3.5% of all onscreen characters. And when we do see characters with disabilities, they are often played by non-disabled actors. It’s a fact, the number...

SAG-AFTRA will launch a week-long virtual event aimed at addressing and combating discrimination and intolerance in the entertainment and media industries. The series of presentations, which will begin on Tuesday and run through Friday, will assemble a number of key figures including Olivia Munn, Richard Lui and Brian Tee.

“Stop the Hate Week” will include panels, conversations and key notes led by SAG-AFTRA members, broadcasters, academics, labor leaders and professionals to discuss how to advance equality on screen, in production, recording studios and news rooms. Nightline anchor Juju Chang and Kgo-tv San Francisco anchor and reporter Dion Lim will join Munn, Lui and Tee to discuss how entertainment and media can help combat anti-Asian hate.

“The buck stops with each of us. Through our highly visible work, people who work in entertainment and the media, our members, have an opportunity to change hearts and minds and build a more equitable and fair society,...

Exclusive: Disability rights group the Ruderman Family Foundation has honored the final season of the Will & Grace revival as well as Fear the Walking Dead, Sex Education, Emmerdale and Call the Midwife with the latest round of recipients for the Seal of Authentic Representation.

“After witnessing significant progress on authentic casting decisions in Hollywood in recent years, we are particularly gratified to see the international momentum that has been generated in this high-priority area,” said Jay Ruderman, President of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “With several British series joining American productions in our latest round of honorees, it is clearer than ever that the entertainment industry increasingly considers disability as an important part of diversity.”

The organization honors the five series as they have contributed to the growing momentum on the inclusion and authentic representation of people with disabilities in the entertainment industry.

This marks the sixth time the Seal...

The entertainment community prides itself on taking the lead in advocating for social change; consider its threat to curtail film and television projects in Georgia due to their laws limiting women’s access to abortion. Racial, gender, ethnic and cultural diversity are now acknowledged as worthy ambitions for popular entertainment.

By contrast, when it comes to Hollywood’s portrayal of characters with disabilities, history has told anything but an uplifting and prosocial narrative. But the entertainment industry is beginning to write a new script on inclusion, a development that is strongly underscored by NBCUniversal’s recent acceptance of the Ruderman Family Foundation guidelines on opening auditions to actors with disabilities.

In taking this landmark step towards inclusivity, the major media and entertainment company has committed to the notion that the more actors with disabilities audition, the more opportunities emerge for them to receive roles and, thus, the potential to receive leading roles.

NBCUniversal has committed to audition actors with disabilities with each new studio production, joining the roster of organizations pledging to follow guidelines created by the Ruderman Family Foundation to make film and TV more inclusive.

“NBCUniversal remains committed to creating content that authentically reflects the world we live in and increasing opportunities for those with disabilities is an integral part of that,” said Janine Jones-Clark, Executive Vice President, Inclusion – Talent & Content, Film, Television & Streaming, NBCUniversal. “We are proud to join the Ruderman Family Foundation pledge as calls to action like theirs are important and hold the industry accountable of the work we still need to do in order to see systemic change.”

Other media organizations that have signed on to the Foundation’s pledge are CBS and the BBC.

NBC’s This is Us received the Ruderman Seal of Authentic Representation in November 2020,.

“The Ruderman Family Foundation is thrilled to...

ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy,” Apple TV Plus’ “Little Voice” and Netflix’s “Locke & Key” and “Away” are the four television series that have just earned the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Seal of Authentic Representation, Variety has learned exclusively.

Additionally, the foundation is awarding the seal, which is given to those projects that demonstrate a commitment toward authentic representation of people with disabilities by featuring actors with disabilities in a speaking role with at least five lines, to two films: “Sam & Mattie Make a Zombie Movie” and “Run.”

“With each and every authentic casting decision, Hollywood takes another crucial step toward fulfilling its true and long-unrealized potential as a beacon of inclusion and diversity in all its forms,” said Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation. “The latest recipients of the Seal of Authentic Representation, building off the momentum generated by our previous rounds of honorees, powerfully exhibit the...

When it comes to the conversation of diversity and inclusion in Hollywood, representation of the disabled community is becoming more and more front and center. Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer has joined the Ruderman Family Foundation to call on the film and TV industry to increase the casting of people with disabilities — this includes on-screen roles that portray characters with disabilities.

In a new PSA, released by the Ruderman Family Foundation, Spencer traces the history of misrepresentation of marginalized communities in Hollywood. Women weren’t allowed to perform on stage while white people used to portray Black, Asian and Native American characters. In the past two decades, LGBTQ+ stories are just now being folded into mainstream film and TV.

“All of these communities of people had to endure not only their stories being told inauthentically, but also seeing themselves portrayed inauthentically,” said Spencer. “But nothing can replace lived experience and authentic representation.

Exclusive: Ruderman Family Foundation has unveiled its latest “Seal of Authentic Representation” honors which recognizes films and television series which demonstrate a commitment toward full inclusiveness in popular culture. The disability rights organization is honoring This Is Us, See, Atypical, Spare Room and The Politician for authentically casting actors with disabilities.

This mark’s the Foundation’s fourth Seal of Authentic Representation award. This year, the honorees include This Is Us which cast Blake Stadnik, an actor with Stargardt disease (a form of macular degeneration), as Jack Damon in the NBC family drama. The character was born with retinopathy of prematurity. On See, Marilee Talkington and Bree Klauser both have legal blindness in a series set in a future where all humans have lost their sense of sight, until twins are born that have sight.

In Netflix’s Atypical three actors with autism are featured: Dominique Brown, Layla Weiner, and...

Activist Jay Ruderman on March 3 presented an award to brothers Peter and Bobby Farrelly for their decades of championing people with disabilities, saying show business “has the power to change public perception like no other industry.”

The occasion was the sixth annual Morton E. Ruderman Award for Inclusion, presented by the Ruderman Family Foundation and held at the Waldorf Astoria in Beverly Hills.

Onstage, Jay Ruderman pointed out that U.S. unemployment is now 4%, but people with disabilities have 70% unemployment, despite being an estimated 20% of the population. The Farrelly brothers have cast people both in front of and behind the camera since their second film, the 1996 “Kingpin.”

Bobby Farrelly said, “Whatever we’ve given to the disability community, they’ve given us a lot more back.” Peter Farrelly exploded two prevalent myths: “That they will slow you down and cost you money. It’s just the opposite,” saying people with...

Zack Gottsagen appeared with The Peanut Butter Falcon co-star Shia Labeouf at the 92nd Academy Awards on Sunday to present the award for Best Live Action Short. In the process, they made history, with Gottsagen becoming the first person with Down Syndrome to present an award at the Oscars. And for most, this was a moment to celebrate.

Jay Ruderman of disability rights organization The Ruderman Family Foundation commented that:

“For nearly a century, disability has been glaringly left out of the conversation on diversity in Hollywood. Tonight’s award presentation marks a substantive step forward for both the Academy and the entertainment industry as a whole. It is our sincere hope that this milestone serves as a springboard for greater inclusion in Hollywood, including through increased authentic casting of actors with disabilities in disability-based roles, and able-bodied based roles.”

Indeed, much has been written of the friendship between Labeouf...

In a new study commissioned by the Ruderman Family Foundation, it was revealed that 22% of all characters with disabilities on network television and 20% of such characters on streaming services are portrayed authentically by an actor with the same disability. This is good news as it shows a significant boost from the Ruderman Family Foundation’s study from 2016 where 5% of characters on TV were cast authentically. Even though the needle has moved, the topic of disability remains largely absent from Hollywood’s diversity conversation.

The Foundation’s new white paper “Authentic Representation in Television 2018” picks up from the organization’s 2016 paper on employment of actors with disabilities on TV. The 2016 study was very eye-opening in that it revealed that despite people with disabilities representing nearly 20% of the U.S. population, 95% of characters with disabilities on television were played by able-bodied actors.

The 2018 study put a larger sample size under the microscope than the 206 study.

Peter and Bobby Farrelly are being honored with the Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion by the Ruderman Family Foundation for their inclusive and accurate depictions of people with disabilities.

"Despite its immense potential for leadership in inclusion, social justice and civil rights, Hollywood has for far too long left disability out of the conversation about diversity. But changemakers like the Farrelly brothers are indispensable players in efforts to shift the conversation," said Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation. "With the growing influence of allies, like Peter and Bobby Farrelly, who share our commitment to ...

Peter and Bobby Farrelly are being honored with the Morton E. Ruderman Award in Inclusion by the Ruderman Family Foundation for their inclusive and accurate depictions of people with disabilities.

"Despite its immense potential for leadership in inclusion, social justice and civil rights, Hollywood has for far too long left disability out of the conversation about diversity. But changemakers like the Farrelly brothers are indispensable players in efforts to shift the conversation," said Jay Ruderman, president of the Ruderman Family Foundation. "With the growing influence of allies, like Peter and Bobby Farrelly, who share our commitment to ...

On Thursday, November 14, the Media Access Awards, in partnership with nonprofit disability services EasterSeals, hosted the 40th annual Media Access Awards.

Daryl "Chill" Mitchell, Actor in "NCIS:New Orleans," and Kurt Yaeger, Actor and Writer of "NCIS:NewOrleans," present the WGA West Evan Somers Memorial Award to Katherine Beattie, Writer of "NCIS:New Orleans".

The awards celebrate those who have redefined on-screen representation for people with disabilities and created more opportunities for the disability community in the entertainment industry.

Host Joe Mantegna, Actor in "Criminal Minds," welcomes everyone to the 40th annual Media Access Awards in partnership with Easterseals to celebrate the advancement and portrayal of people with disabilities in Hollywood.

The awards opened with a pre-taped skit by founder Norman Lear, joined by Jimmy Kimmel. Joe Mantegna, longtime disability advocate for EasterSeals and star of “Criminal Minds” joined actor, writer and producer of “This Close,” and former Media Access Awards winner,...

Five television shows are being celebrated by the Ruderman Family Foundation for their accurate depictions of people with disabilities.

The following shows will receive the foundation's seal of authentic representation: Netflix’s Tales of the City and Raising Dion, ABC’s General Hospital, BBC/HBO’s Years and Years and Audience’s Loudermilk.

"Given our belief that inclusion and understanding of all people is essential to a fair and flourishing society, the Foundation’s Seal of Authentic Representation is a simple, yet crucial and indispensable affirmation of those in the entertainment industry who put these values into action," said Jay Ruderman, president of ...

The Ruderman Family Foundation has honored TV series Ramy and This Close, as well as films, Give Me Liberty and The Peanut Butter Falcon with its Seal of Authentic Representation for accurate depictions of people with disabilities. This is the second time the foundation has awarded its Seal and the first time it has awarded feature films.

On the TV side, Hulu’s Ramy is based on the life of comedian Ramy Youssef and has been ordered for a second season. The series features Steve Way, who has Muscular Dystrophy, as his best friend — he’s also Youssef’s best friend in real life. Sundance TV’s romantic drama This Close follows a deaf couple and was created by and stars deaf actors Shoshannah Stern and Josh Feldman. The second season of this Sundance TV series September premieres Sept. 12.

On the feature side, Give Me Liberty tells the story of...

As networks become more aware of the demand for representation of marginalized communities in their series, one community, in particular, is in need of some shine: those with disabilities. In a landmark move, CBS has become the first entertainment company to sign the Ruderman Family Foundation’s pledge to commit to auditioning actors with disabilities.

A leader in disability inclusion, the Ruderman Family Foundation has been on a campaign to improve the portrayal of disabilities in entertainment, and increasing the number of roles that cast actors with disabilities. They have made a call of action to studios, networks and production companies to make the commitment of auditioning actors with disabilities with each new production picked up to series — and CBS is the first to commit.

“We take pride in our commitment to cast and hire people with disabilities in our productions,” CBS Entertainment Evp, Diversity, Inclusion & Communications Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i said.

CBS Entertainment has signed the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Audition Pledge, a commitment to audition actors with disabilities for new productions picked up to series. The company, which includes CBS Television Studios and CBS All Access, is the first in the industry to respond to the advocacy organization’s request for increased disabled representation.

“We take pride in our commitment to cast and hire people with disabilities in our productions,” CBS Entertainment Evp of diversity, inclusion, & communications Tiffany Smith-Anoa’i said. “We salute the Ruderman Family Foundation for advocating for this very achievable and important goal.”

CBS’ “NCIS: New Orleans” was one of four shows to receive a Seal of Authentic Representation from Ruderman in May for their casting of Daryl “Chill” Mitchell in the role of agent Patton Plame who uses a wheelchair throughout the show. ABC’s now-canceled “Speechless,” and Netflix’s “Special” and “The Oa” were...

Philanthropist-executive Jay Ruderman has a very specific message for the television industry: You’re on the right path, but there’s still a long way to go.

The Ruderman Foundation has been championing causes since 2002, and has recently focused on Hollywood’s neglect of people with disabilities, or Pwd. Amid all the talk about Hollywood’s lack of inclusive hiring, no group has been more ignored. So in May the Ruderman Family Foundation began to salute those rare works that offer “authentic” depictions of Pwd, meaning the character has more than five lines and is portrayed by a person with disabilities.

“We’re trying to generate conversation,” says Ruderman, who will be at Variety’s TV Summit June 12. “This industry is more powerful in shaping attitudes than any other. For the last few years, our organization has been critical, pointing out representations of disabilities that are not authentic. But we...

Amy Hopper’s “Parents Inc.” took honors for best film at the sixth annual Easterseals Disability Film Challenge Thursday night, in ceremonies held at the Sony Pictures lot.

Other winners were Carl Hansen, director for “I/O”; Nicole Evans, best actor for “Human Helper”; and “The Vanished,” which took home the awareness award, accepted by Melanie Waldman.

The program was hosted by Nic Novicki, who founded the Film Challenge to empower filmmakers (with or without disabilities) to tell unique stories while providing opportunities for inclusion and representation for people with disabilities (or Pwd). Novicki reminded the enthusiastic audience that Pwd represent about 20% of the population, but only account for 3% of onscreen depictions.

Participating teams had 55 hours to write, shoot and edit a three-to-five-minute short based on an assigned genre. This year, the genre was sci-fi. Their productions were created on the weekend of April 5-7, with more than 200 people with...

Advocacy group the Ruderman Family Foundation has saluted four TV series for their accurate depictions of people with disabilities — but, significantly, no films were included in this inaugural round of awards.

The shows honored were ABC’s “Speechless,” CBS’ “NCIS: New Orleans,” and two series on Netflix, “Special” and “The Oa.” Each will be given the organization’s seal of authentic representation.

“Each of these television programs has demonstrated a commitment to inclusion of actors with disabilities, reflecting a deeper belief in the importance of representing diversity in all forms in popular entertainment,” said Foundation president Jay Ruderman. “We hope this Seal, along with the example set by each recipient program, inspires the rest of the entertainment community to provide real opportunities for people with disabilities to be part of popular culture’s great storytelling tradition.”

The Foundation has been working for equal rights for years, but these are their first awards.