'Will & Grace' Star Debra Messing to Be Honored With Excellence in Media Award at GLAAD Media Awards

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Debra Messing is being honored for her tremendous support of the LGBTQ community.

The Will & Grace star will receive the Excellence in Media Award at the 28th Annual GLAAD Media Awards at the New York Hilton Midtown in New York City on May 6, the organization announced on Monday.


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The prestigious award is presented to individuals who have made a significant difference in promoting equality and acceptance of LGBTQ people. Previous recipients include Robert De Niro, Russell Simmons, Kelly Ripa, Patti LaBelle, Tyra Banks, Julianne Moore, Glenn Close, Barbara Walters, Bob and Harvey Weinstein and Diane Sawyer.

"A steadfast supporter of the LGBTQ community on social media, Messing is a voice not only on LGBTQ issues, but against discrimination of any kind," GLAAD said of the 48-year-old actress in their press release for the awards show. "Messing has consistently shown commitment to LGBTQ youth, participating in Spirit Day, GLAAD's annual anti-bullying campaign, by 'going purple' in October for LGBTQ youth."

"Debra Messing is a champion of the LGBTQ community and many marginalized groups today," added GLAAD CEO and President Sarah Kate Ellis. "Through laughter, warmth and pure heart both on and off-screen, she accelerates acceptance and inspires everyone to raise their own voices."


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Hosted by Ross Mathews -- his fourth time playing master of ceremonies! -- Messing and all event attendees will be asked to wear blue "&" pins for GLAAD's Together movement, which represents the organization's work on intersectional issues including immigration, racial justice, women's rights and LGBTQ acceptance.

Other special guests scheduled to attend include Whoopi Goldberg, Don Lemon, Rami Malek, Janet Mock, Trevor Noah, Christian Slater and Survivor's Zeke Smith.

Smith made headlines last week when his Survivor teammate, Jeff Varner, outed him as transgender during tribal council on an episode of Game Changers.

The two-time player gave his first on-camera interview on The Talk, just one day after the chaotic episode aired. "It didn't quite hit until I looked at [host] Jeff Probst, and Jeff Probst looked away from the tribe and he never takes the tribe out of his eyesight," Smith recalled. "So, that's what signaled to me that the worst had happened."


WATCH: Zeke Smith on Forgiving Jeff Varner After 'Survivor' Outing: 'I Didn't Want Him to Feel the Pain That I Had'

"The lights got really bright, all sound faded away, and there was this primal instinct in me that just said, 'Run!'" he went on. "But, I knew I couldn't run, because I came on Survivor to confront great challenges."

Hear more in the video below.