Lorenzo Soria Dies: Hollywood Foreign Press Association President Was 68
Lorenzo Soria, who was in his third nonconsecutive term as president of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which co-produces the Golden Globe Awards, died today at his home in Los Angeles, HFPA said. He was 68. The group did not announce a cause of death.
“We are heartbroken to announce the loss of our husband, father, brother who was also a beloved friend and colleague.” his family said in a statement. “His passing is a deep loss for us and for all who knew him and who were blessed by his generosity, passion and sense of humour. He was deeply committed to the movie industry’s power to heal the world and shine a spotlight on injustice. His contributions and friendship were immense; he was a fighter whom we loved deeply.”
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The Argentina-born, Italy-raised Soria was elected HFPA president in June 2019, following stints in the top post from 2003-05 and 2015-17. He also served as chairman of its board before his most recent election as president.
Soria joined the HFPA in 1989., He started his career at the Italian news weekly L’Espresso and had been working for the national daily La Stampa since 1988.
Last week, Soria and other past presidents of the 87-member group were named as defendants in an antitrust lawsuit. Seeking a jury trial, the action by Norwegian journalist Kjersti Flaa alleged that the HFPA is essentially a closed shop that serves to enrich its increasingly aged and limited ranks. In response, the organization called the suit a “shake down” by Flaa. The HFPA said she was trying to use the courts to obtain a membership the HFPA had twice denied her.
The nonprofit HFPA was founded in 1943 as the Hollywood Foreign Correspondents Association by entertainment journalists representing world media in Hollywood. It handed out the first Golden Globe Awards the following year as World War II was raging in Europe and the Pacific.
Soria’s family said details of a memorial will be announced in the coming days.
Here is the HFPA’s statement on his death:
Lorenzo Soria, President of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, passed away peacefully at his home in Los Angeles on Friday, August 7, according to a member of his family.
Soria was born in Argentina but grew up in Italy, where he was an editor of the prestigious Italian news weekly, L’Espresso. Since 1982 he has lived in Los Angeles, where he continued to work for L’Espresso and for the daily La Stampa. He covered politics, technology, society and other topics but what he loved most were his interviews with Hollywood talent and reporting about trends and changes in the film and television industry. Lorenzo has been a member of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association since 1989 and served in the administration for over 25 years. He has been President most recently since 2019, a position he also held from 2003-2005, and 2015-2017.
Lorenzo was a beloved member of the entertainment industry and the Hollywood community and will be sorely missed. He was 68 years old.
Dominic Patten contributed to this report.
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