Alan Cumming to Host .Org Impact Awards (Exclusive)

Alan Cumming to Host .ORG Impact Awards in Washington, DC, The Hollywood Reporter has exclusively learned.

Organized by Public Interest Registry, the nonprofit that manages the .Org domain, the award aims to highlight changemakers and organizations around the world that share a common mission for their “positive contributions to society,” according to a statement. The organization announced 35 finalists, hailing from more than 87 countries.

The finalists are grouped into seven categories, including community development, quality education for all, environmental protection, diversity, equity and inclusion, health and healing, hunger and poverty and rising stars, which are categorized as leaders under the age of 25 who are making a difference in their communities. There are five finalists per category, and they will each receive $2,500.

Jon Nevett, president and CEO of Public Interest Registry, explains that independent judges come in to evaluate the entries to see how much impact they’ve had. “It doesn’t have to be the biggest or most eye-catching organization in the world, but we really try to look at the .Org Impact Awards as a way to really dig into which entries are making the most impact,” he adds.

“It was a no-brainer,” Cumming says. THR “I am delighted to meet all the people who have been recognized as doing the most incredible work among an incredible number of people around the world who are doing great things and serving communities for the greater good.”

“He’s a very dedicated philanthropist,” Nevett says, explaining why Cumming is a great host. “He embodies the spirit of the .Org Impact Awards,” he adds. The 59-year-old actor has won more than 40 humanitarian awards for his work on causes including civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, sex education and social justice.

Cumming notes that his childhood in Scotland inspired him to get involved philanthropically, saying it’s a “cultural thing” to make sure “everyone is on a level playing field or there’s a safety net.”

“Becoming more known and having more exposure is a great thing for me. I really feel like I’m making a difference,” Cumming says, adding that “it’s really great to be famous.”

Cumming has had a fairly busy year in terms of hosting, with The traitors which earned him an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Host of a Reality or Competition TV Show. “I play a character that’s a little crazy, a person who lives in a castle and wears really weird clothes,” the actor says of his work on the Peacock show, which was nominated for a total of four Emmys this year.

“Even though I’m becoming more and more known as an entertainer, I actually feel like it’s less of an entertainer role than a lot of other gigs…