2026 AACTAs: 'Bring Her Back' wins 10, 'Narrow Road' takes 9. Audience Choices: Robbie, Elordi, Irwin

THE GOLD COAST became the centre of Australian screen culture in February as the 2026 Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards and the AACTA Festival delivered five unmissable days of celebration, connection and creativity across film, television, documentary, digital and online storytelling. 

Featuring 350 speakers, more than 100 events and two major awards ceremonies, the festival brought together tens of thousands of attendees alongside creators, practitioners and industry leaders, powerfully elevating the Australian screen industry through widespread media coverage and hundreds of millions of digital views.

With 16 nominations and 10 AACTA Awards, Bring Her Back dominated the film categories, including Best Film, Best Direction, Best Editing, Best Cinematography, Best Casting, Best Original Score, Best Sound, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Makeup, and Best Lead Actress in Film for Sally Hawkins.

Close behind was The Narrow Road to the Deep North, which converted nine wins from 12 nominations, asserting itself as the standout television production of the year, while The Newsreader continued its award-winning legacy with four wins from 12 nominations including Best Drama Series. Apple Cider Vinegar picked up the award for Best Miniseries.

Lights, camera, action on the Gold Coast

AACTA Festival 2026 delivered an inspiring program of actor-on-actor conversations, premieres, masterclasses and landmark reunions, offering audiences rare access to Australian screen talent and storytelling.

In Conversation events included Sarah Snook, as the AACTA Trailblazer recipient, joined by legendary British actor Brian Cox, alongside sessions with Dacre Montgomery, Yerin Ha, Shabana Azeez, Anna Torv and director Emma Freeman.

Sarah Snook, Brian Cox, Phoebe Tonkin and Dacre Montgomery were among the stars that graced the red carpet for the second big evening event, the 2026 AACTA Awards presented by Foxtel Group. The show, hosted by Celeste Barber, was Australia’s largest celebration of film and TV. Highlights from the ceremony featured on Foxtel, Binge and AACTA TV with highlights viewable on YouTube

From global phenomena Stranger Things (Season 5) and Wicked: For Good to home-grown favourites Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi and Robert Irwin, the Audience Choice winners reflect the stories and voices Australian audiences couldn’t get enough of.

New awards were also presented which saw Shameless take out the inaugural award for Best Podcast, Norris Nuts won Best Online Channel, Bridey Drake won Best Digital Creator for a second year and Mekonnen Knife won the Rabanne Breakthrough Artist Award.

First-night Industry Gala

Winners for the 2026 AACTA Awards Industry Gala were announced at the first-night event with Bring Her Back, The Narrow Road to the Deep North and Lesbian Space Princess emerging as the biggest winners.

The AACTA Awards Industry Gala, hosted by comedian Ed Kavalee this year, honoured excellence in screen craft and production, recognising achievements across film, television, documentary, short film and digital categories.

Kavalee got Australia’s screen industry’s lead event off to a rollicking good start at the Home of the Arts (HOTA) on the Gold Coast in an evening of celebration. Celia Pacquola, Costa Georgiadis, Claire Hooper, Mekonnen Knife, Chris Alosio, Joel Jackson, Shane Jacobson and Brenton Thwaites were among those featured as the industry came together to recognise the craft behind Australia’s screen industry.
With 30 awards presented, Bring Her Back and The Narrow Road to the Deep North led the field, each taking home seven of their AACTA Awards on the night, with more to come. Lesbian Space Princess, The Correspondent and The People v Robodebt also enjoyed success, each receiving two AACTA Awards at the Industry Gala.

Red carpet and AACTA Awards Ceremony

The AACTA Awards Ceremony, hosted on the final night by the hilarious Celeste Barber, was a standout moment of the week, bringing together an extraordinary line-up of Australian and international talent, celebrating the year’s most outstanding achievements across film, television and screen craft.

Red-carpet premieres and special screenings brought major cinematic moments to the AACTA Festival, including the Australian premiere of EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert, a Baz Luhrmann double bill celebrating Romeo + Juliet and EPiC, plus the world premiere of Two Years Later, starring Phoebe Tonkin and Brenton Thwaites.

The festival also delivered world-class filmmaking masterclasses led by Bruce Beresford, Lee Smith, Mandy Walker, John Seale and Jason Baird, alongside special reunions and anniversary events celebrating Dance Academy, Shine and The Devil’s Playground honouring Australia’s screen legacy while spotlighting its future.

The AACTA Netflix Screen Careers Expo (presented by Essential Screen Skills) offered unparalleled access to a mix of leading employers, tertiary institutions, training providers, industry organisations and cutting-edge screen technologies. Designed to inform, connect and inspire, the Expo created a space for attendees to explore real-world pathways into the screen industry.

2026 AACTA Audience Choice Award nominees and winners

A mix of the global and Australian Film and TV superstars and the Internet’s most-beloved creators were  revealed as nominees for the  2026 AACTA Audience Choice Awards, with the winners announced on Friday, February 6. Fans voted across 10 categories to determine their favourite films, television series, music videos, podcasts, digital creators and more.  

Click here to view AACTA’s complete 2026 awards nominees and winners online

AACTA Awards nominees and winners

Best Film

• Bring Her Back — WINNER
• Kangaroo
• Lesbian Space Princess
• The Correspondent
• The Surfer
• The Travellers

Best Direction in Film

• Bring Her Back — Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou — WINNER
• Kangaroo — Kate Woods
• Lesbian Space Princess — Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese
• The Correspondent — Kriv Stenders
• The Travellers — Bruce Beresford

Best Lead Actress in Film

• Alison Brie — Together
• Emily Browning — One More Shot
• Sally Hawkins — Bring Her Back — WINNER
• Susie Porter — The Travellers
• Daisy Ridley — We Bury The Dead
• Lily Whiteley — Kangaroo

Best Lead Actor in Film

• Bryan Brown — The Travellers
• Ryan Corr — Kangaroo
• Jai Courtney — Dangerous Animals
• Guy Pearce — Inside
• Richard Roxburgh — The Correspondent — WINNER
• David Wenham — Spit

Best Supporting Actress in Film

• Marta Dusseldorp — With or Without You
• Deborah Mailman — Kangaroo — WINNER
• Brooke Satchwell — Kangaroo
• Yael Stone — The Correspondent
• Sally-Anne Upton — Bring Her Back
• Sora Wong — Bring Her Back

Best Supporting Actor in Film

• Damon Herriman — Together
• Cosmo Jarvis — Inside
• Julian Maroun — The Correspondent
• Julian McMahon — The Surfer — WINNER
• Rahel Romahn — The Correspondent
• Jonah Wren Phillips — Bring Her Back

Best Documentary

• Ellis Park
• Journey Home, David Gulpilil — WINNER
• Not Only Fred Dagg But Also John Clarke
• Songs Inside
• Unbreakable — The Jelena Dokic Story
• Yurlu | Country

TELEVISION

Best Drama Series

• Bay of Fires
• Black Snow Jack of Clubs
• Mystery Road: Origin
• The Family Next Door
• The Newsreader — WINNER
• The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer

Best Narrative Comedy Series

• Austin
• Bump — WINNER
• Ghosts
• Mother and Son
• Strife
• Top End Bub

Best Miniseries

• Apple Cider Vinegar — WINNER
• Invisible Boys
• Mix Tape
• The Last Anniversary
• The Narrow Road to the Deep North
• The Survivors

Best Lead Actress in a Drama

• Alycia Debnam-Carey — Apple Cider Vinegar
• Aisha Dee — Watching You
• Kaitlyn Dever — Apple Cider Vinegar
• Tuuli Narkle — Mystery Road: Origin
• Teresa Palmer — Mix Tape
• Anna Torv — The Newsreader — WINNER

Best Lead Actor in a Drama

• Mark Coles Smith — Mystery Road: Origin
• Jacob Elordi — The Narrow Road to the Deep North — WINNER
• Travis Fimmel — Black Snow Jack of Clubs
• Sam Neill — The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer
• Hunter Page-Lochard — Reckless
• Sam Reid — The Newsreader

Best Acting in a Comedy

• Claudia Karvan — Bump
• Asher Keddie — Strife
• Ben Miller — Austin
• Sally Phillips — Austin
• Angus Sampson — Bump
• Denise Scott — Mother and Son
• Miranda Tapsell — Top End Bub — WINNER
• Michael Theo — Austin

Best Screenplay in Television

• Apple Cider Vinegar — Episode 5 — Angela Betzien
• Apple Cider Vinegar — Episode 6 — Samantha Strauss
• Mix Tape — Episode 1 — Jo Spain
• The Newsreader — Episode 6 — Michael Lucas — WINNER
• The Twelve: Cape Rock Killer — Episode 1 — Sarah L. Walker

Best Comedy Performer

• Hamish Blake — LEGO Masters Australia: Grand Masters of the Galaxy
• Melanie Bracewell — The Cheap Seats
• Aaron Chen — Guy Montgomery's Guy Mont Spelling Bee
• Tom Gleeson — Hard Quiz — WINNER
• Luke McGregor — Portrait Artist of the Year
• Guy Montgomery — Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee
• Sam Pang — Sam Pang Tonight
• Julia Zemiro — Crime Night!

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Drama

• Essie Davis — Apple Cider Vinegar
• Aisha Dee — Apple Cider Vinegar
• Michelle Lim Davidson — The Newsreader
• Robyn Malcolm — Mystery Road: Origin
• Heather Mitchell — The Narrow Road to the Deep North — WINNER
• Susie Porter — Apple Cider Vinegar

AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama

• Luke Carroll — Mystery Road: Origin
• Mark Coles Smith — Apple Cider Vinegar
• Daniel Henshall — The Family Next Door
• Daniel Henshall — The Newsreader — WINNER
• Matt Nable — Apple Cider Vinegar
• Ashley Zukerman — Apple Cider Vinegar

AACTA Award for Best Entertainment Program

• Dancing with the Stars
• Eurovision Song Contest 2025 Grand Final: Access All Areas
• I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Australia
• LEGO Masters Australia: Grand Masters of the Galaxy
• Portrait Artist of the Year — WINNER
• That Blackfella Show

 Best Children's Program

• Do Not Watch This Show
• Hard Quiz Kids
• Play School: All Together — WINNER
• Space Nova

AACTA Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Program

• Guy Montgomery's Guy-Mont Spelling Bee
• Hard Quiz — WINNER
• Sam Pang Tonight
• Spicks and Specks
• Taskmaster Australia
• The Weekly with Charlie Pickering

AACTA Award for Best Factual Entertainment Program

• Alone Australia — WINNER
• Gogglebox Australia
• Muster Dogs Collies and Kelpies
• Take 5 with Zan Rowe
• The Piano
• The Secret DNA of Us

AACTA Award for Best Reality Program

• Australian Idol
• Australian Survivor: Australia v The World
• Married At First Sight Australia
• MasterChef Australia
• The Amazing Race
• The Great Australian Bake Off — WINNER

2026 AACTA Audience Choice Awards

Favourite Film

• How to Train Your Dragon
• KPop Demon Hunters
• Lilo & Stitch
• Regretting You
• Sinners
• Wicked: For Good

Favourite TV Show

• Adolescence
• Ginny & Georgia
• Stranger Things
• The Pitt
• The Summer I Turned Pretty
• Wednesday

Favourite Australian Actress

• Isla Fisher
• Margot Robbie
• Phoebe Tonkin
• Rebel Wilson
• Rose Byrne
• Sarah Snook

Favourite Australian Actor

• Chris Hemsworth
• Dacre Montgomery
• Hugh Jackman
• Jacob Elordi
• Joseph Zada
• Sam Reid

Favourite Australian Music Video

• 5 Seconds of Summer - Boyband
• Keli Holiday – Dancing2
• Tame Impala – Dracula
• The Kid LAROI – A Cold Play
• The Kid LAROI – She Don't Need to Know
• Vance Joy - Fascination in the Dark

Favourite Media Personality

• Abbie Chatfield
• Celeste Barber
• Chris Brown
• Hamish Blake
• Robert Irwin
• Sophie Monk

Rabanne Breakthrough Artist

• Felix Mallard
• Joseph Zada
• Josh Heuston
• Maia Mitchell
• Mekonnen Knife
• Milly Alcock
• Odessa Young
• Samara Weaving

Favourite Australian Podcast

• Australian True Crime
• Big Small Talk
• Hamish & Andy
• Hear Me Out
• Life Uncut
• Shameless
• She's On The Money
• Toni and Ryan

Favourite Online Channel

• Aunty Donna @auntydonna
• Chloe Ting @ChloeTing
• Dr Esme Louise James @dr.esme.louise
• How Ridiculous @howridiculous
• HowToBasic @HowToBasic
• Lazer Beam @lazarbeam
• Norris Nuts @norrisnuts
• Tom Harris @tomharrisfootball

Favourite Digital Creator

• Abbie Chatfield @abbiechatfield
• Bridey Drake @brideydrake
• Deja Clark @more.dejankat
• Jiny Maeng @jinymaeng
• Luke and Sassy Scott @lukeandsassyscott
• Mekonnen Knife @mekonnen_official
• Olly Bowman @mrmelk
• SophaDopha @sophadophaa

ends