Los Angeles, CA – The International Press Academy (IPA) honors Gary Sinise with its Humanitarian Award at the 30th Annual Satellite™ Awards.
Gary Sinise, a native of Blue Island, Illinois, is an actor, director, musician and humanitarian. Sinise’s illustrious career began decades ago on stage where he fell in love with the theatre, co-founding the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago in 1974 where he performed and directed. His first foray into Hollywood was as a director for a television series, followed by the 1988 feature, Miles From Home starring Richard Gere, which received a nomination for the prestigious Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or.
Sinise made his acting debut in the 1992 World War II film, A Midnight Clear, and starred in and directed Of Mice and Men, earning a second nomination for the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d’Or. In 1994, he starred in The Stand, a hugely successful miniseries for which he garnered a Screen Actors Guild nomination, and in that same year was recognized with an Academy Award, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations for his iconic portrayal of Lt. Dan in Forrest Gump.
A year later, Sinise went on to win a Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for his powerful portrayal of Harry S. Truman in HBO’s Truman and earned an Emmy nomination. That same year, he played a pivotal role as astronaut Ken Mattingly in the blockbuster hit, Apollo 13, winning another Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble cast. Sinise then starred in a trio of thrillers in the films, Ransom, Snake Eyes and The Green Mile, the latter of which reunited him with Tom Hanks for the third time.
Finding more critically acclaimed success, Sinise’s brilliant turn as George Wallace in the TV miniseries of the same name landed him his first Emmy, another Screen Actors Guild Award and a Satellite Award. From 2004 to 2013, Sinise played the magnetic detective Mac Taylor in CSI: NY. Key voice work includes the role of Shaw in the animated film Open Season, a narrator in the film Captain America: The Winter Soldier, as well as narration work for the History, Discovery and Military Channels. In 2017, Sinise was honored with a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame.
Today, Sinise continues to act, but he is just as well-known for his charitable work, most notably the Gary Sinise Foundation which focuses on helping wounded veterans and their families. His foundation has raised over 300 million dollars with funds going to several endeavors including a partnership with Tunnel to Towers, building mortgage-free smart homes for severely wounded veterans. It also provides meals, essential services, equipment, education for the next generation about the cost of freedom and parts of history like 9/11 that are not part of school curriculums, scholarships and support for first responder departments that are underfunded.
His late son, McCanna (Mac) Sinise created the GSF podcast which focuses on the stories of those who served and their families. To boost morale, Sinise formed the Lt. Dan Band to entertain U.S. troops worldwide. The band also performs benefit concerts in local communities to raise funds to support his meaningful work.
Sinise played an integral part in the building of the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial in Washington, D.C. and is their national spokesperson. He co-founded Operation Iraqi Children and for this work, received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President George W. Bush. Sinise is also on the Advisory Council of Hope for the Warriors, which provides nonmedical care to combat-wounded service members, their families and the families of the fallen. He has received countless well-deserved prominent awards and recognition for his tireless charitable actions.
It is with much gratitude that the International Press Academy honors Gary Sinise with its Humanitarian Award for his passion and dedication for improving the lives of countless people.
