Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson and the Jonas Brothers are the newest Disney Legends

Dubai: Disney has revealed the full list of honourees for the 2026 Disney Legends Award, and it is quite the lineup.

The ceremony will take place on 16 August at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, as part of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, the company's flagship fan convention. It will also be streamed on Disney+ for fans who cannot attend in person.

What is the Disney Legends Award?

The Disney Legends Award is the highest honour The Walt Disney Company can bestow on an individual. It has been running since 1987, when actor Fred MacMurray became the very first recipient.

Since 2009, the award has been presented every two years at the D23 Expo, and this year's ceremony will bring the total number of Disney Legends to 329.

Honourees are selected by a committee of long-time Disney executives and historians. Each recipient receives an award statuette as well as a bronze plaque featuring their handprints and signature, which is then displayed at Legends Plaza at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California.

Who are the 2026 Disney Legends honourees?

This year's class spans film, music, animation, television, and beyond:

• Anne Hathaway (Film)

• Dwayne Johnson (Film and Voice)

• Jonas Brothers (Television and Music)

• Lin-Manuel Miranda (Film and Music)

• Susan Egan (Voice)

• Alan Tudyk (Film and Voice)

• Bob Iger (Leadership)

• Jerry Bruckheimer (Film)

• Eric Goldberg (Animation)

• Chris Berman (Television)

• Kim Irvine (Imagineering)

A closer look at some of the honourees

Bob Iger spent two decades as Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company, overseeing some of the biggest acquisitions and expansions in the company's history, including the purchases of Pixar, Marvel, and Lucasfilm. He recently stepped down for the second time, with Josh D'Amaro now taking over as CEO.

Anne Hathaway and Dwayne Johnson both built beloved connections with Disney audiences through their film work, lending their performances and voices to characters that have genuinely stood the test of time.

The Jonas Brothers shaped an entire generation of Disney fans through their music and television work, while Lin-Manuel Miranda brought his trademark songwriting genius to modern Disney favourites, most notably Moana and Encanto.

Behind the scenes, producer Jerry Bruckheimer delivered some of Disney's biggest blockbusters, including the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise. Eric Goldberg is one of animation's most respected artists, responsible for bringing characters like Genie and Phil to life. Kim Irvine spent decades at Walt Disney Imagineering, helping shape the look and feel of Disney parks around the world.

Who has been honoured in the past?

The Disney Legends roster reads like a who's who of entertainment. Past honourees include:

• Robin Williams, Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury

• Elton John, Alan Menken and John Williams

• Harrison Ford, George Lucas and James Cameron

• Miley Cyrus, Idina Menzel and Kristen Bell

• Oprah Winfrey, Whoopi Goldberg and Betty White

When and where can you watch?

The ceremony takes place on Sunday 16 August 2026 at 1:30pm PT at the Honda Center in Anaheim, hosted once again by Emmy-winning television presenter Ryan Seacrest. If you are not there in person, the full ceremony will be available to stream on Disney+ shortly after.

Areeba Hashmi is a trainee at Gulf News.