LOS ANGELES (AP) – For those who feel like Hollywood’s awards season can’t start soon enough, you’re in luck.
The Hollywood Film Awards, which bills itself as “the official launch of awards season,” is making its television debut Friday on CBS.
Scores of stars are expected at the Hollywood Palladium event, including Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Robert Pattinson, Chris Rock, Benedict Cumberbatch, Reese Witherspoon and Robert Downey Jr. Queen Latifah is host of the two-hour ceremony, which will feature a performance by Janelle Monae.
Founded by entrepreneur Carlos de Abreu and his wife, former model Janice Pennington, the Hollywood Film Awards have been presented off-camera since 1997.
“It’s been the best-kept secret in all of Hollywood and we’re going to bring it to millions of people on television,” said CBS executive Jack Sussman, who signed on to broadcast the show after attending the ceremony last year. “It had this very kind of cool, almost everybody’s- in-the-same-family vibe.”