Lincoln celebrated the Sixth Annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013 in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Lincoln’s 2013 luxury midsize sedan, the MKZ, was the official vehicle for the star-studded ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon attended by Oprah Winfrey, Jill Scott, Naomi Campbell, Gabrielle Union, Mara Brock Akil, Kelly Rowland and Naomie Harris – who was presented with the Lincoln Shining Award for her performance in the highest grossing Bond film of all time, Skyfall.
Harris, Alfre Woodard and 2013 Academy Awards Best Actress nominee Quvenzhané Wallis arrived in style, chauffeured in the MKZ, while Bevy Smith hosted in the Lincoln-sponsored tent.
“The innovation and inspiring design behind the all-new MKZ makes it a perfect complement to these talented women who have inspired through their careers and innovation,” says Shawn Thompson, Lincoln manager of Multicultural Marketing in a statement to press.
This is the sixth year that Lincoln and ESSENCE have collaborated for the exclusive affair
Akil, an acclaimed producer and writer, is responsible for successful television shows and movies featuring African American casts.
Her company, Happy Camper Productions, partnered with Kelsey Grammer’s Gramnet Productions and CBS Paramount to create the groundbreaking series “Girlfriends.” In 2012, she produced Sparkle starring the late Whitney Houston and Jordin Sparks. Akil is preparing to debut her new show, “Being Mary Jane,” starring Gabrielle Union.
Lincoln’s Thompson presented Harris with the Lincoln Shining Star Award. Last year, she grabbed the attention of Hollywood with her performance in the highest-grossing Bond film of all time, Skyfall. She will star in the upcoming Nelson Mandela biopic, Long Walk to Freedom, opposite Idris Elba.
“Naomie’s critically acclaimed work in film, television and theater represents the dynamic group of today’s African American women who are such a crucial part of the premium market space,” says Thompson. –yvette caslin
