The 2nd Annual National Film & TV Awards Celebrate Fan Favorites of 2019 and Importance of Giving Back
Lisa Vanderpump | Getty Images
Stars lined the seats of The Globe Theater in Downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday for the second annual National Film & TV Awards.
The National Film Academy brought one of Europe’s leading awards ceremonies for motion pictures back to the States for the second year in a row to honor LA-based actors and artists for their work on some of 2019’s best films and television shows.
The NFA recognized old and new names alike, from Quentin Tarantino’s win for Best Director of “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood,” to Caitlin Carmichael’s win in the Best Newcomer category.
“It came as a complete surprise to me,” Carmichael said. “I’ve decided over the past couple years that acting is not what I do, it’s who I am. I’ve been acting since I was three and a half and I’m 15 now.”
The categories that include nominated television actors and shows are included exclusively at the US awards ceremony, so it was an especially exciting night for those whose craft ends up on the small screen--specifically reality television which had a number of categories with notable wins including Lisa Vanderpump as Best Female Reality TV Personality for her show, “Vanderpump Rules,” and, “Love Island,” which took home the win for Best Reality TV Show of 2019.
A comedic fan-favorite on Love Island, Yamen Sanders understands why their show stood out enough for fans to vote for it in this category.
“What I think stood out about our show is that it’s just a lot of fun, very friendly and very genuine, a very genuine reality show,” he said. “Each person on the show has their own little fan base. We definitely appreciate them.”
This year’s awards didn’t just recognize the best of what made us laugh, cry and think in 2019, but also pointed toward the platforms these pieces of art provided for important social issues and new causes these celebrities hope to get behind to give back to the community.
A major problem specific to Los Angeles is the homeless crisis, which multiple attendees noted is an issue they hope to help tackle in the upcoming year.
“Giving back has been a huge part of my life, I have a nonprofit that’s been acknowledged by the Starbucks foundation to feed the homeless using the Starbucks mobile app,” Carmichael said.
“This year I want to see how I can assist as far as homelessness with charities and organizations in Los Angeles specifically,” Sanders said.
Vanderpump brought it all home in her acceptance speech which spoke to using success for good.
“I am so proud of the fact that I have used the platform I have achieved from Television to impact the less privileged,” she said. “The most important thing to note is that this is what matters the most: using your success to helping the less fortunate.”