Ted Danson & Mary Steenburgen To Receive 2025 Bob Hope Humanitarian Award

Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen will receive the 2025 Bob Hope Humanitarian Award at the 77th Emmy Awards. It’s the first time the award, which honors Hollywood philanthropists, will be presented to a couple.

Danson co-founded the American Oceans Campaign (AOC) in 1987 to alert Americans to the life-threatening hazards created by oil spills, offshore developments, toxic wastes, sewage pollution and other ocean abuses. The AOC merged with Oceana in 2001. Since then, Danson has served on Oceana’s board of directors and has testified before the House Committee on National Resources on behalf of the cause. Danson has also worked with and supported several other philanthropic organizations, including the ASPCA, Climate U.S. PAC, Elton John AIDS Foundation, Malaria No More and Young Storytellers. 
 
Steenburgen has collaborated with Artists for a Free South Africa, the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, Heifer International, No Kid Hungry and Oceana. She is also an advocate for increasing funding for the arts in schools across the country. Most recently, she served as a keynote speaker at the 2024 Ohio School Board Association Capital Conference to educate administrators about the importance of the arts in public schools.
 
In 2007 Danson and Steenburgen co-founded the nonprofit organization Angels at Risk with activist Susie Spain, which addresses the crisis of children, teenagers and their families who are at risk for drug and alcohol abuse. Danson and Steenburgen are also outspoken allies of the LGTBQ community.
 
“Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen have long used their voices, and their hearts, to champion causes that uplift the planet and its people,” said Cris Abrego, chair of the Television Academy. “From environmental advocacy to humanitarian relief, they lead with grace, integrity and purpose. The Television Academy is proud to honor their extraordinary legacy of service with the Bob Hope Humanitarian Award.” 
 
The Bob Hope Humanitarian Award was established in 2002. Past recipients include Oprah Winfrey, Danny Thomas (posthumously), George Clooney and Sean Penn.