GMA-7 Hollywood correspondent Janet Nepales receives 2 awards from LA Press Club

GMA-7's Hollywood correspondent Janet Nepales received two awards at the Los Angeles Press Club's 66th Southern California Journalism Awards held on Sunday at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in LA.

Nepales bagged second place in the Entertainment News or Feature – Foreign Correspondents for her article "Golden Globes, Variety Host Joint Party in Cannes; Filipinos Represent at the Festival."

She also took the second place in the Personality Profile – Foreign Correspondents for her story "Filmmaker Ma-an Asuncion-Dagnalan on Her Debut Film 'Blue Room.'"

Nepales, who writes the weekly column "Hollywood Insider" for GMA News Online, was also a finalist in the Entertainment News, Film/Broadcast, Online for her story on "Asian Power was on at Oscar night."

Meanwhile, actress Jane Seymour received The Bill Rosendahl Public Service Award. The award recognized contributions made to civic life.

"She encourages kindness and helping others," said Press Club President Lisa Richwine, "and has inspired women by speaking up about ageism."

Seymour, who co-founded the Open Hearts Foundation, was introduced by Kevin John Ryan.

Other awardees that night included Stephen A. Smith who received The Joseph M. Quinn Award, Amanda Salas who received The President's Award, and Mickey H. Osterreicher who received The Guardian Award.

Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who is still detained in Russia, received The Daniel Pearl Award. His award was accepted on his behalf by Paul Beckett.

It has been more than one year since Gershkovich was detained by Russia during a reporting trip and accused of espionage. The Wall Street Journal and the US government vehemently deny the allegation and continue to call for his immediate release. Pins that read "#IStandWithEVAN" were handed out to the journalists in attendance.

Nepales, who is based in Los Angeles and graduated cum laude from the University of Santo Tomas, is the author of coffee table book "FASHION. Filipino. Hollywood. The World," a finalist in the recently held 2022 15th Annual National Arts and Entertainment Journalism Awards (NAEJ) of the Los Angeles Press Club. The paperback edition is now available on amazon.com.

The first Filipina voting member of the Golden Globe Awards, Nepales was recognized by the Filipina Women's Network (FWN) as one of the "100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the US" in 2012 and as one of the "100 Most Influential Filipino Women in the World" in 2013.

She is a co-author of the first FWN book entitled "DISRUPT: Filipina Women: Proud. Loud. Leading Without A Doubt."

Nepales is married to journalist-author Ruben Nepales with whom she has two daughters – Bianca Nicole and Rafaella Angelica.

—MGP, GMA Integrated News