Awards Broadcast Exclusively on IFC and AMC+ on Thursday, April 22, 2021 at 7PM/10PM (ET/PST)
The 2021 Film Independent Spirit Awards is ready to make you laugh out loud as Saturday Night Live’s Melissa Villaseñor has been tapped to host.
Due to the Covid pandemic, this year the show will not be live from Santa Monica Beach, as usual. The show will air on Thursday, April 22on IFC and AMC+ at 10 p.m. ET.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Melissa Villaseñor into the club of smart, funny film lovers to host the Spirit Awards. The time to laugh has definitely arrived, and not a moment too soon,” said Film Independent President Josh Welsh.
Villaseñor began her comedic journey as a stand-up comic in Los Angeles and gained further recognition after being a semifinalist on the 2011 edition of America’s Got Talent. The stand-up comedian, actress and impressionist is the first-ever Latina cast member of SNL.
“As someone who considers herself a pretty dependent person, I’m truly honored to host the Film Independent Spirit Awards,” said Villaseñor.
The Mexican talent is best known for her impersonations of Owen Wilson, Jennifer Lopez, Gwen Stefani, Lady Gaga, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and more.
Outside of SNL, Villaseñor has provided voiceovers in films such as Toy Story 4; Ralph Breaks the Internet, Family Guy and American Dad. She is currently working on her first book, a creative self-help journal forthcoming from Chronicle Books.
Said Blake Callaway, Executive Director, IFC and SundanceTV, “Melissa and the unique circumstances of now will make this year’s ceremony like no other. It will certainly be a departure from the past, but with Melissa, the chances of Dolly, Ariana Grande, Bjork, Gwen Stefani, Julie Andrews and Lady Gaga showing up have skyrocketed.”
Film Independent, a non-profit organization cultivates the careers of emerging filmmakers and promotes diversity and inclusion across the film industry. For the first time, the Directors Close-Up, an annual series featuring in-depth panel discussions with the year’s lauded filmmakers, will only have Spirit Award nominees as panelists. The series, which will be available for streaming, will include nine sessions over two months, featuring the best directors from indie film, documentary, and television. This year’s Spirit Award nominations include a new TV section. This year’s Best Feature nominees include First Cow, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Minari, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, and Nomadland. The full list of nominees can be found HERE: