Celebrities Honored for Substance Abuse Portrayals

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Written by Henri Bollinger Associates

Tuesday, 28 April 2009 09:24

Anne Hathaway, William Shatner, Benjamin Bratt, Chandra Wilson and Dana Delany received PRISM Awards for individual performances in film and television at the 2009 PRISM Awards ceremony.

The PRISM Awards, which are produced by the Entertainment Industries Council, Inc. (EIC) in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and FX, honor actors, movies, music, media and television's top shows that accurately depict and bring attention to substance abuse and mental health issues. The Acting Surgeon General, Rear Admiral Steven K. Galson, participated in the ceremony, along with numerous celebrity performers.

"In these difficult economic times, when many of us know someone in our lives touched by these issues, the stories we honor with PRISM Awards have shown great sensitivity towards those who are experiencing addiction, substance abuse, and other mental health problems." said EIC President and CEO Brian Dyak.

Anne Hathaway was recognized in the Performance in a Feature Film category for Sony Pictures' Classic Rachel Getting Married. The film also received an award for Feature Film. William Shatner received the award for Performance in a Drama Episode in ABC's Boston Legal; Benjamin Bratt for Best Performance in a Drama Multi-Episode Storyline for A & E's The Cleaner; Chandra Wilson for Performance in a TV Movie or Miniseries in Hallmark Channel's Accidental Friendship; and Dana Delany for Performance in a Comedy Series for ABC's Desperate Housewives.

"It's been such an honor to participate in this year's PRISM Awards with a group of people who have helped send a strong and clear message," said Steven K. Galson, M.D., M.P.H., RADM, USPHS, Acting Assistant Secretary for Health, Acting Surgeon General. "The entertainment industry can continue to help people understand that addiction and mental illness are an illness and that treatment is available, recovery is possible, and that friends and family play an important role in that process."

Television shows that received awards for accurate portrayals of related issues included Boston Legal, Breaking Bad, King of the Hill, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, The Office, CBS's miniseries, Sybil and CBS Paramount Domestic Television's Dr. Phil.

A&E President and General Manager Robert DeBitetto received the Larry Stewart Leadership & Inspiration Award for his addiction and treatment related programming initiatives. The award, which is presented for leadership and inspiration by example, is named in memory of veteran writer/producer/director Larry Stewart, a founding Board Director of EIC.

Additional celebrities involved in the ceremony included Ashley Argota (True Jackson, VP), Paul Ben-Victor (In Plain Sight), Corbin Bernsen (Psych), Andrea Bowen (Desperate Housewives), Jayne Brook (Boston Legal/Brothers and Sisters), Sharon Case (The Young & The Restless), Christian Clemenson (Boston Legal), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), James Denton (Desperate Housewives), Hector Elizondo (Monk), Cassidy Freeman (Smallville), Joanna Garcia (Privileged), Jay Harrington (Better Off Ted), Mariette Hartley, Stana Katic (Castle), John Larroquette (Boston Legal), Sharon Lawrence (Privileged/Monk), Michele Lee, Jennette McCurdy (iCarly), Sarah Jane Morris (Brothers and Sisters), Chuck Negron (Three Dog Night), Dr. Phil McGraw (Dr. Phil), Dr. Drew Pinsky (Celebrity Rehab), Navi Rawat (Numbers), Melissa Rivers (Celebrity Apprentice), Stephen Root (King of the Hill), John Salley (Best Damn Sports Show Ever), Henry Simmons (Shark), Shadoe Stevens (The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson), Kate Vernon (Battlestar Galactica), Dee Wallace (My Name is Earl/Sons & Daughters), Rolonda Watts (Days of Our Lives/Radio Host), and Gary Anthony Williams (Boston Legal).

Honorees for the PRISM Awards are selected by an 80-person committee of entertainment industry professionals and technical experts from the fields of medicine, mental health, and addiction.

CONTACT: For more information, please contact Henri Bollinger, Henri Bollinger Associates, 818-784-0534, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or Karyn Barr, Allison & Partners, 202-223-9260, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

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