Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein to Be Honored Posthumously With Trailblazer Award by PGA
Abigail Lee
January 10, 2025 at 9:05 PM
Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein will posthumously receive this year's Trailblazer Award for their work creating opportunities for female producers, the Producers Guild of America announced Friday.
"Lynda Obst and Paula Weinstein have made a lasting impact on the industry with their trailblazing work and steadfast commitment to amplifying women's voices," Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line, PGA presidents, said in a statement.
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"Lynda and Paula embody the spirit of women who have broken barriers and paved the way for future generations of producers. Their visionary work includes iconic films that have defined eras, alongside their unwavering commitment to championing underrepresented stories," the statement continued. "Honoring them highlights their dedication to empowerment, innovation and mentorship, celebrating not just their individual legacies but also their shared commitment to advocating for women and fostering collaboration."
The recognition will be given at this year's PGA Awards on Feb. 8 at the Fairmont Century Plaza.
Obst, who died in October, worked on films like "Sleepless in Seattle," "Interstellar," "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" and "Contact." She helped usher in filmmakers such as Nora Ephron and Chris Columbus, producing their respective directorial debuts "This Is My Life" and "Adventures in Babysitting." She also worked on television shows "Hot in Cleveland," "Good Girls Revolt" and "The Hot Zone" and wrote the books "Hello, He Lied and Other Tales from the Hollywood Trenches" and "Sleepless in Hollywood: Tales from the New Abnormal in the Movie Business." Obst previously received the Women in Film Crystal award and the first Polly Platt Award.
Weinstein died in March 2024. She produced titles such as "The Perfect Storm," "Analyze This" and "The Fabulous Baker Boys," as well as the Netflix show "Grace and Frankie" with Jane Fonda, whom she formerly worked for as an agent. Her television work additionally includes "Recount," "Too Big to Fail" and "Iron Jawed Angels." Weinstein also held top positions at 20th Century Fox, United Artists, Warner Bros. and Tribeca Enterprises, where she was chief content officer from 2013 to 2023 and presided over the Tribeca Film Festival. She was a co-founder of the fundraising group Hollywood Women's Political Committee. She previously received two of Women in Film's Crystal Awards. She was on President Obama's National Finance Committee and the boards of the ACLU and NAACP Legal Defense Fund.
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