Academy Museum Gala to Honor Carpenter, Domingo, Theron

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures announced on Thursday, August 13, 2026, that filmmaker John Carpenter and actors Colman Domingo and Charlize Theron will be the honorees at its sixth annual fundraising gala. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Carpenter, the director and composer behind the 1978 horror classic Halloween, will receive the Luminary Award. The honor is given to an artist whose singular contributions have expanded the creative possibilities of filmmaking. Domingo, an Emmy-winning actor with two Oscar nominations, will receive the Vantage Award, which recognizes an artist helping to challenge dominant narratives around cinema. Theron, who won the Best Actress Oscar for the 2003 film Monster, will be presented with the Icon Award, celebrating an artist whose career has had a significant global impact.

The gala is cochaired by filmmakers Robert Rodriguez and Steven Spielberg, along with Kate Capshaw. Academy Museum Director and President Amy Homma stated that the event is a celebration of the artists and storytellers whose work continues to shape the cultural impact of cinema around the world. "For our sixth annual Gala, we are...