Spike Lee, Brett Ratner and Sir Howard Stringer serve as honorary chairs for the event that honors Harden (God of Carnage, Angels in America) as well as director and producer Ron Howard; Image Entertainment founder Brian Grazer; The Charles & Lucille King Family Foundation president Diana King; and HBO Documentary and Programming president Sheila Nevins.

Stafford Arima (Altar Boyz) directs the 7 PM evening that is produced by Ken Davenport (Altar Boyz, My First Time) and executive produced by Mary Schmidt Campbell.

Playwright Tony Kushner will present Harden with her honor, while Spike Lee will present Nevins with hers, and Stringer will present Grazer's honor. An additional presenter will be announced.

"I am very proud to be honored by Tisch on November 2nd," Harden said in a statement. "The education and training that I received there enabled me to find my voice as a young artist and gave me the skill and confidence that I needed to succeed in a very competitive field. What I am most proud of, though, is what Tisch is doing today to reach and enroll those students in this country, and even around the world, who have a great gift, but who are not able to afford or access the fantastic training that I received."

“The 2009 gala will raise critical scholarship dollars which will be used to support those students who would not otherwise be able to afford an NYU Tisch education. In an ambitious effort to scout new talent as proactively as elite schools scout for members of their athletic teams, the Tisch School is committed to finding, enrolling and retaining the country's most talented young people, regardless of their ability to pay," said Tisch dean Mary Schmidt Campbell, in a statement. Visit TischGala.