Academy Museum Gala to Honor John Carpenter, Colman Domingo, Charlize Theron

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures has announced its annual fundraising gala honorees, including filmmaker and composer John Carpenter, two-time Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo, and Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron. The gala, which will take place on October 17, 2026, will honor Theron with the Icon Award, Carpenter with the Luminary Award, and Domingo with the Vantage Award. The honorees will be recognized for their contributions to the film industry and their commitment to the museum's mission to celebrate and preserve cinema. The Academy Museum Gala advances the museum's mission by supporting world-class exhibitions, educational opportunities, and public screenings. The gala also provides a platform for honorees to participate in public programming around the event, which includes screenings of their films and conversations with the museum's Teen Council. This year's gala is co-chaired by Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg, and Kate Capshaw, and is supported by Rolex, the exclusive presenting partner and founding supporter of the Academy Museum. The event will also feature a Teen Council program, which includes a screening of *Mad Max: Fury Road* on August 22, featuring Charlize Theron in conversation with the museum's Teen Council. The Academy Museum has a long history of honoring industry leaders and artists, including previous honorees such as Penélope Cruz, Walter Salles, Bruce Springsteen, and Bowen Yang. The museum's film programming is generously funded by the Richard Roth Foundation, and *The Horror Show*, a new large-scale exhibition, is made possible in part by leadership support from Hammer Films and John Gore Studios. The honorees for the 6th Academy Museum Gala are: * Charlize Theron, who will receive the Icon Award, which celebrates an artist whose career has had a significant global impact. * John Carpenter, who will receive the Luminary Award, which is given to an artist whose singular contributions have expanded the creative possibilities of filmmaking. * Colman Domingo, who will receive the Vantage Award, which honors an artist who is helping to challenge dominant narratives around cinema. The Academy Museum Gala is a celebration of the artists and storytellers whose work continues to shape the cultural impact of cinema around the world. The event is made possible through the generosity of many, and the museum is especially thankful to its partners at Rolex, its co-chairs, and its founding supporters for their ongoing commitment to its mission.