ATLANTA — Jan. 23, 2025 — The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) today announces that SCAD TVfest will return to Atlanta Feb. 5–7, 2025. Now in its 13th year, the university’s signature event celebrating the best in television and streaming will take place at the state-of-the art SCADshow theater.
“SCADshow lights up Midtown Atlanta this winter with SCAD TVfest: the best of everything new-and-now on television,” said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. “Whether you want to see the latest new series before all your friends or you’re an industry insider scouting for new talent, SCAD TVfest, the largest TV festival at any university on the planet, delivers. Pros will want to be first in line to see the new SCAD Film Studios in Midtown debuting at this year’s festival. No need to change the channel: SCAD TVfest has you queued up with current hits, sneak peeks, and dazzling stars. I’ll save you a seat!”
SCAD TVfest will honor an exciting list of stars, including Hiroyuki Sanada (Shōgun) with the Lifetime Achievement Award, Laverne Cox (Clean Slate) with the Impact Award, Noah Centineo (The Recruit) with the Distinguished Performance Award, Sophie Skelton (Outlander) with the Lumiere Award, Uzo Aduba (The Residence) with The Hollywood Reporter’s Trailblazer Award, Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) with the Rising Star Award, and the cast of St. Denis Medical with the Breakthrough Cast Award, with cast members Allison Tolman and Kahyun Kim and creators and executive producers Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer attending. They join previously announced honorees, Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers, who will receive the Variety Showrunner Award, presented by Caleb McLaughlin. Honorees are scheduled to attend screenings and participate in conversations highlighting their performances and illustrious careers.
“It’s always thrilling to be back in Atlanta for our annual SCAD TVfest, putting the spotlight on television’s top shows and creators! Our students are so passionate about all aspects of television — from production, casting, animation, and more. This is an incredibly special moment for them to hear from the best and brightest in the industry,” said Christina Routhier, senior executive director of SCAD theaters and festivals. “We are thrilled to celebrate our extraordinary honorees this year, from the legendary Hiroyuki Sanada and the groundbreaking Laverne Cox to some of TV’s hottest stars like Noah Centineo, Sophie Skelton, Walker Scobell, and the cast of the buzzworthy new series St. Denis Medical. We look forward to an unforgettable, action-packed three days in Atlanta!”
Multiple television shows featured in this year’s festival are filmed in the Atlanta area and the state of Georgia, including Clean Slate, which showcases contributions from 107 SCAD alumni, students, and faculty, and Stranger Things, with six SCAD alumni involved. Their roles span diverse disciplines, such as production, camera operations, costume and set design, casting, acting, and more.
The SCAD TVfest Opening Night Gala screening is the Netflix drama series Stranger Things. Expected to attend are creators Matt and Ross Duffer, who will be honored with the Variety Showrunner Award. In addition, the SCAD TVfest will showcase dynamic programs from Adult Swim, Apple TV+, BET, CBS/CBS Studios, Disney Branded Television, Hallmark, HBO, Hulu, Max, National Geographic, NBC, Netflix, Peacock, Prime Video, Showtime, Sony Pictures Television, STARZ, Universal Studio Group, Warner Bros. Animation, Warner Bros. Television, and more. Notable guests and shows attending this year’s festival include (subject to change):
- The Amazing Race (CBS) with host and executive producer Phil Keoghan
- Beyond the Gates (CBS) with actors Clifton Davis, Daphnee Duplaix and Karla Mosley and executive producer and president of the CBS Studios NAACP venture Sheila Ducksworth.
- Clean Slate (Sony Pictures Television, Prime Video) with cast members Laverne Cox, George Wallace, Telma Hopkins, D.K. Uzoukwu, Jay Wilkison, Norah Murphy, and writer and SCAD alum Shomari Kirkwood
- Cobra Kai (Sony Pictures Television, Netflix) with creators and executive producers Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz, and Hayden Schlossberg; and actors William Zabka, Tanner Buchanan, Mary Mouser, and Gianni DeCenzo
- Doc (Sony Pictures Television, FOX) with cast members Molly Parker, Omar Metwally, Amirah Vann, Jon Ecker, Anya Banerjee, Scott Wolf, and Patrick Walker, executive producer Hank Steinberg, and showrunner and executive producer Barbie Kligman
- Found (Warner Bros. Television, NBC, Universal Television) with cast members Shanola Hampton, Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gabrielle Walsh, and Arlen Escarpeta, and executive producer, showrunner, and creator Nkechi Okoro Carroll
- Grosse Pointe Garden Society (NBC) Panelists to be announced
- Home Is Where the Heart Is (Hallmark) with host and executive producer Luke Macfarlane, co-host and designer Olivia Westbrook, executive producer Jessica Sebastian-Dayeh, and head of Hallmark Unscripted Programming David Stefanou.
- Marvel Animation’s Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man (Disney+) with showrunner, head writer, and executive producer Jeff Trammell
- Marvel Television’s Agatha All Along (Disney+) with creator, showrunner, director and executive producer Jac Schaeffer
- No Taste Like Home with Antoni Porowski (National Geographic) with host and executive producer Antoni Porowski
- Oh My God, Yes! A Series of Extremely Relatable Circumstances (Adult Swim) with executive producer and creator Adele “Supreme” Williams, executive producer Dominique Braud, and Adult Swim Director of Development Missy Laney
- Outlander (Sony Pictures Television, Starz) with actor Sophie Skelton
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+) with actor Walker Scobell
- The Recruit (Netflix) with actor Noah Centineo
- The Residence (Netflix) with actors Uzo Aduba, Susan Kelechi Watson, Jason Lee, Bronson Pinchot and executive producer Betsy Beers
- SCAD Presents: chefATL (SCAD)
- SCAD Presents: Lodged (SCAD)
- Shōgun (FX) with actor and producer Hiroyuki Sanada
- Tyler Perry’s Sistas (BET) with cast members Novi Brown, Mignon Baker, Crystal Hayslett, Devale Ellis, and Chido Nwokocha
- St. Denis Medical (NBC) with cast members Allison Tolman and Kahyun Kimand creators and executive producers Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer
- Stranger Things (Netflix) with creators, executive producers, and showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer and actor Caleb McLaughlin
- Surface (Apple TV+) with writer, executive producer, showrunner Veronica West and Lauren Neustadter, executive producer on behalf of Hello Sunshine.
- Watson (CBS) with actor/executive producer Morris Chestnut and creator, showrunner, and executive producer Craig Sweeny
Panels
SCAD TVfest’s panel series welcomes industry experts and talented SCAD alumni from a myriad of professions to engage in meaningful conversations about their work. Panel discussions take place in event spaces at the university’s high-rise complexes FORTY and FORTY FIVE, the latter of which opened in the fall of 2023. FORTY FIVE also houses SCADshow, which will host all SCAD TVfest screenings at its 700-seat main stage or intimate 130-seat theater.
Entertainment Weekly (EW) returns for the seventh year as a media partner at the festival, partnering with Getty Images for an on-site portrait studio. They will also curate two panels:
- EW Presents Breaking Big: For the first time at TVfest, EW will host its legendary Breaking Big panel. This panel features the hottest up-and-coming actors as they discuss their current projects, their starts in Hollywood, and what’s next in their careers.
- EW Presents Bold School: In EW’s Bold School series, power players in the entertainment industry share anecdotes about life lessons, how they found their voice, and how to pay it forward. Join a lively discussion among fierce, fearless female and/or non-binary forces in entertainment, opening up about the power and privilege of taking on roles that redefine the rules and refuse to yield.
Select panels include:
- SCAD Alumni Voices, where notable graduates lead an insightful conversation about how their SCAD education helps them navigate the TV industry. Confirmed panelists include Chrystin Garland (art director, Disney Jr.’s Ariel) and Shomari Kirkwood (writer, Clean Slate).
- Behind Her Lens: Showrunners gathers the dynamic forces at the helm of our favorite shows for a discussion on taking a show from conception to finale, across planning and everything in between. Confirmed panelists include Katie O’Brien (The Z Suite), Katie Robbins (Good American Family), Janine Sherman Barrois (The Big Cigar), Veronica West (Surface), Debby Wolfe (Lopez vs. Lopez).
- Artisans: Designing the Details that Define TV brings together passionate below-the-line talent working behind-the-scenes of television in a variety of crafts. Confirmed panelists include Janie Bryant, costume designer (costume designer, 1923), Bernadette Croft (costume designer, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds)
- Casting & Representation 101 welcomes seasoned casting directors, managers, and agents to discuss how actors can navigate Georgia’s booming entertainment market and beyond. Panelists include Kimberly Wistedt (casting director, Fincannon & Associates), Tara Feldstein, (owner, casting director, Feldstein|Paris Casting), Lauren Williams (Senior Vice President of Talent, Formation Talent Agency), Alexander White (founder, Alexander White Agency), Rebecca Carfagna (casting director, Carfagna/Lewis Casting), Elana Ripley (manager, East West Management), Kate Lackey (agent, Daniel Hoff Agency)
- Inside the Writers Room is an open conversation that digs into the dynamic and collaborative world of writers as they navigate the intricacies of crafting narratives that captivate audiences in an ever-changing media landscape. Confirmed panelists include Jeff Greenberg (Modern Family), Fola Goke-Pariola (Paper Girls), and Aaron Karo (Man of the Year).
- Meet the Executives, one of the most popular panels at the festival, features executives from content development and programming who discuss what they look for in a script or series and how to find a balance between studio needs and the stories they want to see. Confirmed panelists include Vivian Cannon (executive vice president of drama development, Universal Television), Hilarie Holt-Burnett (vice president of current programming, Sony Pictures Television), Lily Parrish-Kruger (director of current programming, Sony Pictures Television), and David Stefanou (head of Hallmark Unscripted Programming).
- Disney Branded Television: Storytelling from Preschool to Families goes behind-the-scenes with the creative forces behind the magic. From preschoolers to kids to tweens, teens and families, Disney Branded Television delivers today’s most beloved content across Disney+, Hulu, Disney Jr., Disney Channel and digital channels — including YouTube. Panelists will reveal how they bring Disney’s iconic wonder, adventure and heartfelt storytelling to life for every age group through hit animated and live-action series, shorts, and specials that continue to define entertainment for generations. Confirmed panelists include Chrystin Garland (SCAD alum and art director, Disney Jr.’s Ariel), Rob Letterman (co-creator and executive producer, Goosebumps: The Vanishing), Dan Povenmire and Jeff “Swampy” Marsh (co-creator and executive producer, Phineas and Ferb), and Gino Guzzardo (vice president Multiplatform Content, TV Animation, Disney Branded Television).
- Women of Warner: Leading the Charge in Television and Animation offers an insider’s perspective from Warner Bros. Television Group executives on the art and business of shaping some of the most beloved and innovative stories in television and animation. From developing laugh-out-loud comedies and gripping dramas, to managing current programming and creating animated series for audiences of all ages, these industry leaders share their experience, expertise, and approach to navigating a constantly evolving entertainment landscape. This conversation is your opportunity to learn from the women driving the future of entertainment, as they delve into the creative and strategic processes behind world-renowned programming, discuss current trends and challenges in the industry, and offer valuable insights into what it takes to succeed in today’s competitive market. Confirmed panelists include Ashley Cole (senior vice president of drama development, WBTV Scripted), Shannon Howard ( senior vice president of comedy development, WBTV Scripted), Susan Ochoa (senior vice president of current programming, WBTV Scripted), Stacey Kim (vice president of kids and family series, WB Animation), and Katie Petrachonis (vice president of adult series, WB Animation).
Honorees
Hiroyuki Sanada (Shōgun) — Lifetime Achievement Award
Hiroyuki Sanada, a two-time Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award winner, is one of Japan’s most celebrated actors, with a career spanning over half a century and more than seventy films since childhood. He earned critical acclaim in The Twilight Samurai, an Academy Award nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, and has since captivated global audiences with standout performances in films like John Wick: Chapter 4, Bullet Train, and Mortal Kombat. Sanada’s work extends to acclaimed productions like Army of the Dead and Minamata and classics such as The Last Samurai, The Wolverine, and 47 Ronin. On television, he has delivered memorable performances in Lost and Westworld.
Sanada recently made history with FX’s Shōgun, where he stars as Lord Toranaga, earning two Emmy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards in 2024 and 2025, respectively, as actor and producer. The series now holds the record for the most Emmy wins in history. A skilled stage actor as well, his portrayal of The Fool in King Lear with the Royal Shakespeare Company earned him an honorary MBE for cultural contributions. With a body of work that continues to inspire, Sanada remains one of Hollywood’s most respected and sought-after talents.
Laverne Cox (Clean Slate) —Impact Award
Laverne Cox is a four-time Emmy Award-nominated actress, Emmy Award-winning producer, and trailblazing advocate for equal rights. She made history with her role as Sophia Burset in the critically acclaimed Netflix series Orange is the New Black, becoming the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for an acting Primetime Emmy Award and the first trans woman of color to have a leading role on a mainstream scripted television series. Laverne continues to captivate audiences with her performances, including her role as Dr. Cable in the Netflix film Uglies and her upcoming lead role in the Amazon comedy series Clean Slate premiering Feb. 6, 2025. In addition to her on-screen achievements, Laverne serves as executive producer on Clean Slate and has hosted popular shows like Live From E! and The Laverne Cox Show podcast.
As an Emmy-winning producer, Laverne’s work includes the acclaimed Netflix documentary Disclosure, named one of Vogue’s 100 best documentaries of all time, as well as Laverne Cox Presents: The T Word and Free CeCe. Her acting credits span projects like the Emmy-nominated Inventing Anna, the Academy Award-nominated Promising Young Woman, and JOLT. Beyond entertainment, Laverne is an artist and advocate celebrated for breaking barriers, gracing the covers of Time, British Vogue, and Cosmopolitan. She holds two SAG Awards with her Orange is the New Black castmates and continues to develop new projects that inspire and empower.
Noah Centineo (The Recruit) — Distinguished Performance Award
Noah Centineo continues to expand his talents as an actor and producer in the entertainment world with an impressive lineup of projects in 2025. He stars in and serves as executive producer in Netflix’s The Recruit, returning for a second season on Jan. 30, alongside Teo Yoo. That same month, he reprised his beloved role as Peter Kavinsky in the second season of Netflix’s XO, Kitty. Looking ahead to April, Centineo joins the cast of A24’s Warfare, co-directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland, who reunite from their recent box office hit Civil War.
Beyond acting, Centineo’s production company Arkhum Productions, launched in 2023, focuses on socially-driven comedy and drama. Their first project, the short film Meta, will feature Centineo alongside Ivanna Sakhno. Other recent credits include a cameo in A24’s Dream Scenario, which premiered to acclaim at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, and a starring role as Atom Smasher in DC’s Black Adam. He is also known for his breakout performance in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before trilogy.
Sophie Skelton (Outlander) – Lumiere Award
Sophie Skelton is a talented and versatile actor who has firmly cemented her place in the British acting landscape in a diverse range of roles, across a career spanning over a decade. Sophie started training in ballet at the Royal Academy, before moving to musical theatre and stage productions. Sophie is best known for her portrayal of ‘Brianna Randall Fraser’ in the BAFTA winning, Golden Globe and Emmy nominated adventure drama series Outlander, starring alongside Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan. The show has a cult following of fans across the globe, with millions of people tuning in to see the story unfold each season. The series has maintained a 90% average on Rotten Tomatoes across a decade. Sophie recently delighted fans by reprising her role in season seven of the show, with season eight still to come. On the silver screen, Sophie will star in the forthcoming British thriller Row, which follows the mysterious reappearance of a woman washed ashore in a bloody rowboat. The film will also star Bella Dayne, and Akshay Khanna.
Uzo Aduba (The Residence) – The Hollywood Reporter’s Trailblazer Award
Uzo Aduba is a, three-time Emmy award-winning, and Tony award-nominated actress whose work spans television, film, and theatre. Aduba is best known for her celebrated run as Suzanne “Crazy Eyes” Warren in the critically acclaimed Netflix Original Series Orange Is The New Black. Her performance garnered a sweep of awards including Emmy® Awards in 2014 and 2015, SAG Awards in 2015 and 2016, and a 2017 SAG Award nomination. Upcoming, Aduba will be seen in the Shondaland series The Residence on Netflix. Aduba stars in the comedic murder mystery set at The White House and is inspired by Kate Andersen Brower’s book The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House. Most recently, Aduba was seen in the Lionsgate independent comedy/mystery Greedy People, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Lily James, Searchlight’s, The Supremes At Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, starring stars alongside Aunjanue Ellis and Sanaa Lathan, which earned her an NAACP Image Award nomination and the Netflix limited series Painkiller alongside Matthew Broderick which earned her a SAG Award nomination. Additional projects include American Pastoral, Beats, Candy Jar, In Treatment, Miss Virgina, My Little Pony, National Champions, Solos, and Tallulah. Additionally, in September 2024, Aduba released her first book, The Road Is Good, a powerful, timely memoir of Black immigrant identity, the story of an unforgettable matriarch, and a unique coming-of-age story from the perspective of a Nigerian American.
Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson and The Olympians) — Rising Star Award
Walker Scobell can currently be seen as the titular role in the Disney+ Original series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which has been celebrated as a top series for the platform. His performance earned him a Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Male TV Star this past year. Walker broke out as the lead opposite Ryan Reynolds in The Adam Project for Netflix, directed by Shawn Levy, which remains today one of Netflix’s most-watched original films. He can also be seen as the lead of Secret Headquarters opposite Owen Wilson for Paramount, from producer Jerry Bruckheimer.
St. Denis Medical (Allison Tolman and creators and executive producers Eric Ledgin and Justin Spitzer) — Breakthrough Cast Award
St. Denis Medical is a mockumentary about an underfunded, understaffed Oregon hospital where the dedicated doctors and nurses try their best to treat patients while maintaining their own sanity.
Passes and individual tickets are on sale now at scadtvfest.com.
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About SCAD TVfest
Entering its 13th year in 2025, SCAD TVfest spotlights the best in design, creativity, and innovation in television, streaming, and digital media. Viewers explore the best work and latest trends in broadcast, streaming, cable, web, social media, and advertising, and connect with the top industry insiders working on camera and behind the scenes.
The 2025 festival schedule includes gala premiere screenings, spotlights, panel discussions, Q&A events, and other original content. Passes and individual tickets are now on sale.
Visit scadtvfest.com for the full event schedule and follow the festival on Facebook at facebook.com/SCADTVfest and Instagram at @scadtvfest and @scaddotedu. Connect with SCAD and TVfest by using the hashtag #SCADTVfest.
SCAD: The University for Creative Careers
SCAD is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 graduate and undergraduate degree programs across locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Lacoste, France; and online via SCADnow. SCAD enrolls more than 18,500 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 110 countries. The future-minded SCAD curriculum engages professional-level technology and myriad advanced learning resources, affording students opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and real-world assignments with corporate partners through SCADpro, the university’s renowned research lab and prototype generator. SCAD has earned top rankings for degree programs in interior design, architecture, film, fashion, digital media, and more.
Career success is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. A 2024 study found that 99% of recent SCAD graduates were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 12 months of graduation. SCAD provides students and alumni with ongoing career support through personal coaching, alumni programs, a professional presentation studio, and more. Visit scad.edu.
