Adam Driver launches writing prize for soldiers

Soldier-turned-actor Adam Driver has launched a $10,000 prize for budding playwrights from a military background.

Adam, who served in the U.S. Marines from 2001 to 2004 before attending acting school, co-founded the charity Arts in the Armed Forces in 2008 with the aim of giving active servicemen, women and veterans the chance to experience theater.

On Monday (13Nov17), the non-profit organization launched the Bridge Award, a writing prize for those who have served in the military, offering the winner a $10,000 grant to produce their play.

Speaking to The New York Times, the Star Wars actor, 33, said encouraging those with military experience to enter the arts would help them tell their stories.

"We're reaching out to cadets, current servicemen and women, veterans and providing a space," Adam outlined. "The military has acronyms for acronyms that can explain everything, but when it comes to explaining an experience, a post-traumatic experience, there's not a lot of opportunities."

Stressing that he believes opportunities for veterans to enter the arts were limited, he added: "There's no reason to think that this community doesn't have anything to say. Maybe they don't have access to another way of saying it."

The winner of the prize will be chosen by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks.