John Waters received a lifetime achievement award from the Chicago Underground Film Festival in 1997, the GLAAD Stephen F. Kolzak Award in 2004 for his work toward raising visibility for the LGBTQ+ community, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2023. His 1988 movie Hairspray was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and for Independent Spirit Awards for best director and screenplay.