Harry Potter’s Daniel Radcliffe receives ‘Hero Award’

Daniel Radcliffe will be honored at a ceremony in New York this June for his work with The Trevor Project, the leading organization for suicide prevention efforts among GLBT youths. Radcliffe became aware of the group in ’08 during his Broadway debut in a revival of “Equus.” He’s worked with the group since ’09, appearing in public service announcements. The Trevor Hero Award recognizes a person who serves as an inspiration to sexual minority youths and increases visibility and understanding of the LGBTQ community. Past Hero Award recipients include former Miss America and TV star Vanessa Williams, Nathan Lane, and screenwriter Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”).

The Trevor Project was founded in 1998 by filmmakers James Lecesne, Peggy Rajski and Randy Stone. Their 1994 film, “Trevor,” about a gay 13-year-old boy who tried to commit suicide after his friends learned of his sexuality, won the Academy Award for Film Short. The film was the catalyst for the birth of the organization after it was shown on HBO in 1998.

[via AP]