Lin-Manuel Miranda, James Monroe Iglehart & More Will Appear at the Fifth Annual Granite Awards

Stonestreet Studios, the New York-based independent film and tv studio founded in 1991 by director/writer/producer team Alyssa Rallo Bennett and Gary O. Bennett, announced last week that they will be honoring Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations star Nik Walker with the studio's Fifth Annual Stonestreet Granite Award.

Nik will be honored in a virtual ceremony on Thursday December 3rd, airing at 8pm EST on Youtube, with appearances by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton), Des McAnuff (Jersey Boys), James Monroe Iglehart (Hamilton, Aladdin), Paul Alexander Nolan (Slave Play), Jelani Remy (Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations), Jawan M. Jackson ((Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations) & more.

Past recipients include Stonestreet alums Miles Teller (Whiplash, Divergent), Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, House of Cards), Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), and Camila Mendes (Riverdale). Miles and Danny are both featured in Top Gun: Maverick, hitting theaters Summer 2021.

"As both an NYU and Stonestreet alum, and a massive fan of the studio, I am honored to accept this award. Stonestreet has always been a fine-tuned furnace for boundary pushing, socially conscious art - sorely needed in our ever-changing world, and exactly the kind of work that gets me up in the morning. Beyond excited to join the Granite Award legacy, and continue using my craft to help and heal."

The Granite is awarded to an actor, director, producer, screenwriter, or multi-hyphenate who has emerged from Stonestreet Studios' independent film studio and training ground. It honors those alumni who use their platform and talents to make significant contributions to the stage and motion picture industry, their community as a whole, and who continue to create provocative, meaningful, and relevant film and television projects within and outside of Stonestreet's walls.

"Nik is someone you want to listen to, to watch - whether it's on stage, screen, or just talking as a friend," notes Stonestreet director/producer and co-founder Alyssa Rallo Bennett. "He's one passionate & charismatic soul - a true leader. I can't wait to see what he does next and feel honored to have him as a colleague."

Following his tenure at Stonestreet Studios and NYU Tisch, Walker went on to star in Broadway's Motown: The Musical, later taking on the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton. He currently stars as Otis Williams in Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations, and co-hosts the weekly live talk show Chaos Twins with Sasha Hutchings for BroadwayWorld.

The ceremony will also feature the debut short film Gold Rush, written and directed by Nik, and filmed entirely remote via Stonestreet Studios during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Fifth Annual Stonestreet Granite Award is sponsored by Jim Kempner Fine Art and Fotocare.

"It's been incredibly gratifying to see Nik evolve as an actor, creator and now as a mentor, and thrilling to have him come back to Stonestreet again to direct, inspire and put such a positive spin on inclusiveness and activism for our growing community," adds screenwriter and Stonestreet co-owner Gary O. Bennett.

In addition to the ceremony, Stonestreet and Nik will be making a donation to Give Kids The World, a nonprofit resort in Kissimmee, Florida, that provides week-long, cost-free wish vacations to critically ill children and their families from around the world.