The Unforgettable Gala, the annual celebration honoring Asian and Pacific Islander excellence in film, television and culture, has announced its lineup of performers and presenters for its 2026 ceremony. The event will take place March 7 at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles and will later stream as a special on GoldenTV on March 13.
This year’s gala will feature performances by Eric Nam, known for his appearance on The Traitors, magician and mentalist Kevin Li, singer Peng Peng and singer-songwriter Sinéad Harnett. The evening is expected to blend live music and performance artistry as it continues its tradition of spotlighting diverse creative talent across disciplines.
A wide-ranging roster of presenters is also set to appear at Saturday’s ceremony, including Anna Cathcart, Fala Chen, Kieu Chinh, Alan Chikin Chow, John Dela Cruz — also known as Nurse John — Reina Hardesty, Kristen Kish, Lee Sung Jin, Charles Melton, Atsuko Okatsuka, Randall Park, Sang Heon Lee, Chrishell Stause, Lewis Tan, Izaac Wang and Kevin Woo. Previous Vanguard Award winners from Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender — Gordon Cormier, Kiawentiio, Dallas Liu, Ian Ousley and Elizabeth Yu — will also take part in the evening’s presentations.
Academy Award-winning filmmaker Chloé Zhao was previously announced as the recipient of this year’s Global Icon Award, recognizing her international impact and contributions to cinema. Bowen Yang will receive the Actor in Film Award, while Daniel Dae Kim is set to be honored with the Actor in Television Award. Acclaimed South Korean director Park Chan-wook will receive the Director Award. Netflix breakout KPop Demon Hunters has been named the recipient of the Vanguard Award, celebrating emerging influence and innovation in storytelling. Additional honorees include Lawrence Shou, Te Ao o Hinepehinga, Lloyd Lee Choi, Leenda Dong and Jet Tila.
The 2026 Selection Committee is co-chaired by Simu Liu and Fala Chen and includes a broad cross-section of industry leaders and creatives such as Agnes Lew, Adele Lim, Awkwafina, Bao Nguyen, Benedict Wong, Bing Chen, Brandon Rieggs, Bretman Rock, Celine Song, Daniel Henney, Daniel Wu, Domee Shi, Janet Yang, Jeanne Yang, Jennifer Yuh Nelson, Jeremy Tran, Jessica Gao, Jessica Henwick, Jinny Howe, Joan Chen, Jodi Long, Joseph Lee, Julia Cho, Julia Gouw, Ken Jeong, Kevin Kwan, Leonardo Nam, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Miranda Kwok, Nico Santos, Nina Yang, Norman Chen, Phil Wang, Phillip Sun, Randall Park, Rebecca Sun, Samantha Quan, Shannon Lee and Takashi Cheng. The gala continues to serve as a high-profile platform recognizing achievement, leadership and cultural impact across the entertainment landscape.
