Actor, Playwright & Author Anna Deavere Smith Wins 2013 Gish Prize

Two-time Tony nominee Anna Deavere Smith is the 2013 recipient of the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, according to The New York Times. The 19th-annual arts prize will present $300,000 to the acclaimed actor, author and playwright. Her prize will be officially awarded on February 13 at a private awards ceremony.

Established in 1994, the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize Trust is given every year to “a man or woman who has made an outstanding contribution to the beauty of the world and to mankind’s enjoyment and understanding of life.” Past award recipients include Frank Gehry, Ingmar Bergman, Bob Dylan, Arthur Miller, Bill T. Jones, Ornette Coleman, Laurie Anderson, Pete Seeger and Robert Redford.

Smith earned Tony nominations for Best Actress in a Play and Best Play for her solo show Twilight: Los Angeles, 1992. Her other plays include Fires in the Mirror, House Arrest and Let Me Down Easy. As an actor, she appeared off-Broadway in Mother Courage and Her Children. Her film and TV credits include The West Wing, All My Children, Philadelphia, Rachel Getting Married, Nurse Jackie and The American President. Her books include Talk to Me: Travels in Media and Politics and Letters to a Young Artist: Straight-Up Advice on Making a Life in the Arts.