Shonda Rhimes is set to receive the Writers Guild of America, West’s 2015 Paddy Chayefsky Laurel Award for Television Writing Achievement, for her "outstanding contributions to television writing, including her signature brand of progressive programming featuring diverse portrayals and narratives written by diverse writers."

She will be recognized at the WGAW’s upcoming 2015 Writers Guild Awards West Coast ceremony on Saturday, February 14, 2015, at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

"Few writers in television have had the impact on the medium that Shonda Rhimes has. Her ability to create, consistently, television that is, at once, excellent, provocative and crowd-pleasing is almost the least of it. She is a breaker of barriers. On screen, she has taken us places that were previously off limits, giving voice to characters who had been voiceless and tackling issues and touching nerves without fear. Off screen, she has been a mentor to a generation of writers – some of whom are women, some of whom are writers of color – all of whom will look to her as a pioneer in a business that is now more diverse and more vibrant because she played her part. She is, in every way, the embodiment of the qualities that the Television Laurel celebrates, and her Guild is proud welcome her into the select group of writers so honored," said WGAW President Chris Keyser.

Beyond her success with network television, Rhimes’ screenwriting credits include the feature films "The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement" (2004) and "Crossroads" (2002). Her other television writing credits include the telefilm biopic, "Introducing Dorothy Dandridge," (how many of you didn’t know that?) produced by HBO and nominated for numerous awards, for which Halle Berry won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for Best Actress in a miniseries for her portrayal of Dandridge. 

Rhimes created her production company Shondaland in 2004.