Television icon Wes Bentley, along with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Craig Robinson, are set to receive honors at the 2023 Savannah College of Art and Design's TVfest. In addition, American filmmaker Sterlin Harjo will also receive an award at the Georgia television festival.
Bentley is well-known for his roles, including Ricky Fitts in American Beauty, Seneca Crane in The Hunger Games, and, more recently, Jamie Dutton in Yellowstone. He is set to receive the Virtuoso Award. Best known for starring in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Cruel Intentions, and Scooby-Doo, Gellar will receive the Icon Award. Robinson is well-recognized for playing Darryl Philbin on The Office, LeVar "Freight Train" Brown on The Cleveland Show, and Doug "the Pontiac Bandit" Judy on Brooklyn Nine-Nine; he will be honored with the Spotlight Award. Finally, Harjo, who's worked as a writer, producer, and director on various projects, will receive the Variety Showrunner Award. Throughout the festival, the honorees are expected to attend screenings and panels where they will talk about their long-standing careers in the entertainment industry.
In a statement, SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace said, "This year, Buffy, Darryl and Jamie Dutton star in the greatest show about television: SCAD TVfest. That's right, America's teenage scream queen of the '90s (THE Sarah Michelle Gellar!), everyone's favorite warehouse manager (THE Craig Robinson!) and star of TV's steamiest series (THE Wes Bentley of Yellowstone!) will appear live and in person to share their TV secrets with SCAD students."
SCAD Tvfest Executive Director Says the Festival Is 'So Excited for This Year's Programming Lineup'
SCAD TVfest executive director Christina Routhier stated, "There is nothing better than seeing our students interacting with some of the top people in television including talent, showrunners, executives and more. From our honorees to the premieres of brand-new TV shows, we are so excited for this year's programming lineup. A highlight for us is the ability to showcase the shows shot here in Georgia as Atlanta has truly become the hub for television and film production in the United States."
In addition to the aforementioned honors, the festival will also have appearances from the casts and crew of series like Accused, All American: Homecoming, American Born Chinese, Gotham Knights, Harlem, Fear of the Walking Dead, The Lord of Rings: The Rings of Power, Reservation Dogs, and plenty more.
2023 SCAD TVfest will also have two panels courtesy of their media partner, Entertainment Weekly. The first, EW Presents Brave Warriors, will feature the famous faces behind iconic characters, talking about how they separate their well-known personas from real life. The second panel, EW Presents Bold School, will have notable industry figures sharing their story and how they made their mark. Additional panels at the Georgia television festival will discuss casting, anime, representation, entertainment marketing, and how to craft the perfect pitch. The festival will also bring back their popular meet the executives panel.