Jacob Elordi, Chase Infiniti, Wagner Moura, Sydney Sweeney and Teyana Taylor are among the recipients of the 2026 Santa Barbara Film Festival’s Virtuoso Award. They will accept their awards on Feb. 8, during the 41st annual festival, which takes place Feb. 4-14, 2026 throughout the city.
The Virtuoso Award is an “honor established to recognize a select group of talent whose exceptional work in films this year has placed them at the center of the conversation around noteworthy cinematic performances,” according to the festival. Previous honorees include Kieran Culkin, Selena Gomez, Mikey Madison, Lily Gladstone, Andrew Scott, Austin Butler, Danielle Deadwyler, Ke Huy Wuan and Zendaya.
Turner Classics Movies host Dave Karger, who will host the Feb. 8 evening for the sixteenth year, noted, “This year’s group of Virtuosos are as impressive as they are eclectic. We’ve got three international actors, two megastars from acclaimed television series, two breakouts from the latest Paul Thomas Anderson film, and even one veteran performer who earned an Oscar nomination 40 years ago.”
As previously announced, the festival will present Adam Sandler with the Maltin Modern Master Award on Feb. 5, 2026 and Cynthia Erivo with the Kirk Douglas Award during a fund raising event on Dec. 4, 2025.
Below, the full list of recipients of the 2026 Santa Barbara Film Festival Virtuoso Award.
Jacob Elordi, “Frankenstein”
Chase Infiniti, “One Battle After Another”
Amy Madigan, “Weapons”
Wagner Moura, “The Secret Agent”
Renate Reinsve, “Sentimental Value”
Sydney Sweeney, “Christy”
Teyana Taylor, “One Battle After Another”
Jeremy Allen White, “Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere”
