NEW YORK, Nov. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Today ESSENCE magazine announces its second annual ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon to be held during Oscar Week on February 19, 2009 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. This star-studded event will honor four of Hollywood's finest who have helped to change and inspire positive images of Black women in television and film--both in front of the camera and behind-the-scenes. The ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon commemorates ESSENCE magazine's annual Hollywood issue. The esteemed honorees for the 2009 event include: Halle Berry (Power Award), Gina Prince-Bythewood (Visionary Award), Diahann Carroll (Legend Award) and Taraji P. Henson (Lexus Star to Watch Award).

The 2008 inaugural event, which honored Jada Pinkett-Smith (Power Award), Ruby Dee (Legend Award), Suzanne de Passe (Visionary Award) and Jurnee Smollett (Lexus Star to Watch Award), hosted A-List stars including Will Smith, Tom Cruise, Katie Holmes, Kerry Washington, Star Jones and more; who all graced the red carpet leaving fans and stylistas overwhelmed by Hollywood glamour, beauty and style.

"ESSENCE is in awe of our 2009 Black Women in Hollywood honorees - all of whom are inspirational trailblazers in both Hollywood and within the African-American community," said ESSENCE editor-in-chief Angela Burt-Murray. "By presenting the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, we continue our legacy of supporting and celebrating the accomplishments of actresses such as Halle, Diahann and Taraji and filmmakers such as Gina, who all embody excellence in Hollywood both in front of and behind the camera."

Academy Award winning actress Halle Berry, who made history as the first African-American woman to receive a Best Actress Academy Award in 2002 for her role in Monster's Ball, has shown that tenacity and hard work can pay off. Receiving her breakthrough role in Spike Lee's Jungle Fever, Halle has gone on to star in box office favorites like the romantic comedy Boomerang with Eddie Murphy; The James Bond action movie Die Another Day with Pierce Bronson; Action/Thriller Sword Fish with John Travolta and the X-Men Franchise along side Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman. In the 1999 HBO biopic, Introducing DorothyDandridge, Halle portrayed the first black woman to be nominated for a Best Actress Academy Award. Berry's performance was recognized with several awards, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe. She is currently shooting the psychological drama, Frankie & Alice, which she will both produce and star in.

An American treasure, Diahann Carroll has a career that spans over 40 years appearing in motion pictures, television, Broadway and Las Vegas stages. As the Legacy Award recipient, Ms. Carroll became the first black actress in television history to star in her own series Julia in 1968 and in 1984 became the first black actress to star in the award-winning night-time series Dynasty. As a Tony Award winner, Diahann has performed to sold-out crowds in plays such as Andrew Lloyd Webber's hit musical Sunset Boulevard, Harold Arlen and Truman Capote'sHouse of Flowers, Agnes of God and Richard Rodgers' No Strings for which she won the Tony Award. Her film work includesClaudine, for which she received a 1974 Best Actress Academy Award nomination, Carmen Jones, Paris Blues, Porgy & Bess, Hurry Sundown, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings and Eve's Bayou.

Gina Prince-Bythewood wrote and directed the widely acclaimed feature film Love & Basketball (2000) which premiered at the 2000 Sundance Film Festival. She won an Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature and a Humanitas Prize for her work on the film. Prince-Bythewood earned her first feature film producer credit on Biker Boyz (2003) staring Laurence Fishburne, Derek Luke and Kid Rock. Bythewood has also written for hit television shows such as A Different World and Felicity. Most recently, Gina directed her film adaptation of the New York Times bestseller, The Secret Life of Bees with a star studded cast featuring Jennifer Hudson, Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo to rave reviews.

An amazing star on the rise, Taraji P. Henson has shown audiences that she has the versatility and longevity required to make it in Hollywood. From her debut role in John Singleton's Baby Boy in 2001 to Tyler Perry's The Family That Preys, Taraji has maintained what will continue to be a promising career. In 2005, she appeared in the acclaimed independent film Hustle & Flow which was nominated for two Academy Awards. Last year, she starred opposite Don Cheadle in the critically acclaimed biopic, Talk to Me. Taraji has also had the pleasure of appearing on the small screen in a regular role in the hit ABC series, Boston Legal, as well as a recent recurring role on Eli Stone. She will co-star opposite Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett in the soon to be released fantasy drama movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. In 2009, Taraji will star in the TD Jakes adaptation, Not Easily Broken, staring Morris Chestnut and the drama film, Hurricane Season, opposite Forest Whitaker.

Sponsors for theESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon include Lexus and MasterCard.