Introducing the ‘59% Gen Now’ Award

The inaugural Soho House Awards, in partnership with Sky, take place today. Our Awards aren’t just a celebration of established talents across the creative industies, but have been created to champion the best emerging talent, too. And who better to team up with for a special award highlighting artists in the acting world than Daniel Kaluuya?

The category, created in partnership with Kaluuya’s production company, 59% Productions, celebrates a shortlist of five actors and actresses of the moment – Samuel Adewunmi, Kosar Ali, Ambika Mod, Sheyi Cole and Adjani Salmon – all of whom have been making waves in British film and TV. 

Each nominee was hand-picked by Kaluuya as an exceptional yet under-recognised talent who is shaping television and cinema today. To give them their flowers and champion their achievements, Kaluuya hosted a roundtable at White City House. 

The group discussed everything from their love of acting and where it stemmed from, to their individual career trajectories and navigating life in the public eye. Kaluuya, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of civil rights activist Fred Hampton in Judas and the Black Messiah in 2021, led the conversation, giving the nominees a chance to speak candidly about their journeys so far, while sharing his own experiences of the industry and offering advice. 

‘As demonstrated by the nominees, the industry is rich with deeply talented artists who are not yet household names,’ he told Soho House. ‘It is my privilege to shine a spotlight on these actors who are making an impact now and will steer the future of television and cinema.’

‘What excites me most about these nominees is that they’re fresh,’ Kaluuya added. ‘They care and they’re thinking big – that’s what I wanted to find out during the roundtable – how they want to rise to the top of their craft.

‘I want them to always be themselves and never compromise on that.’

The 59% Gen Now award recipient will be announced on the night of the awards, where winners from 10 other categories will also be presented with a gong – a Golden Picante – for their success and contribution across the creative industries.

Scroll down for the full video of the roundtable.