(Screenshot via YouTube)
Robert De Niro will be honored at the GLAAD Media Awards in New York City on May 14.
The actor will receive the Excellence in Media Award, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Kelly Ripa received the honor last year.
De Niro has advocated for the acceptance of LGBT people through his work. He recounted his relationship with his gay father in the HBO documentary “Remembering the Artist: Robert De Niro, Sr.” De Niro has also advocated for LGBT inclusion at the Tribeca Film Festival which he co-founded in 2002.
De Niro has starred in LGBT roles including “Flawless” where he played a cis-man in love with a transgender woman and in “Stardust” where he played a gay pirate.
“Through his work honoring the memory of his openly gay father, Robert De Niro has not only sent a message of acceptance to LGBT people, but also educated audiences of the harms of anti-LGBT prejudice and discrimination,” GLAAD president and CEO Sarah Kate Ellis said in a statement. “He is a tireless advocate who has helped bring to the world LGBT storylines that spark dialogue, build support and encourage understanding.”
