The Pioneer of the Year award — given by the Will Rogers Motion Picture Foundation — had never been given to a female director before, so it’s exciting for Elizabeth that she gets to be the first. Part of the criteria is philanthropic work, and she’s also worn a lot of behind-the-scenes hats — for example, she co-wrote the Charlie’s Angels reboot that she also directed and produced. Her shift into directing, especially big-budget projects (Pitch Perfect 2, and Angels), happened very quietly and seems to have been pretty seamless, and it’s great to be reminded of yet another strong female voice fighting to get projects made.
