Anne Hathaway was among 11 honorees inducted at the 2026 Disney Legends Awards on Sunday. She joined Bob Iger, Dwayne Johnson, the Jonas Brothers and Lin-Manuel Miranda at a star-studded ceremony. The event was held at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, according to ABC News. The Disney Legends Awards capped off D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. That biennial exposition is the company's largest to date, according to The Walt Disney Company.
Ryan Seacrest, host of American Idol, returned for another year to emcee the ceremony. The Disney Legends Awards recognize individuals who have left a lasting mark on The Walt Disney Company and its legacy. Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro opened the sold-out event. He told the crowd that the honorees' creativity, innovation and commitment to bringing joy to audiences "has made them the stuff of legend," according to a statement from The Walt Disney Company.
Hathaway was recognized more than two decades after her Disney debut. She played Mia Thermopolis in 2001's The Princess Diaries. She reprised the role in the 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. She later starred as the White Queen in Alice in Wonderland and Alice Through the Looking Glass. The Devil Wears Prada 2 director David Frankel presented Hathaway with her award. He praised her dedication to her craft. Vogue editor Anna Wintour delivered a special video tribute, per The Walt Disney Company.
In her acceptance speech, Hathaway called herself lucky. She expressed gratitude for a life spent doing work she loves alongside her husband and children. "As cool as all this is, just us being us is where I'm happiest," she said, according to ABC News.
Bob Iger's Two Decades At The Helm
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger received one of the evening's most heavily tributed honors. Current CEO Josh D'Amaro introduced Iger. He called him "one of the most consequential business leaders of our time," ABC News reported. Tributes came from Robert Downey Jr., Diane Sawyer, Harrison Ford, Ellen Pompeo and sportscaster Al Michaels. Pompeo told Iger, "It's your integrity and your kindness that will be your legacy forever."
Accepting the award, Iger reflected on an executive's responsibility to support the creative talent that drives the company. He thanked the creatives and cast members he said truly make Disney what it is. Iger led The Walt Disney Company for more than two decades. During that time, the company acquired Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm and 21st Century Fox. It also launched the Disney+ streaming service, ABC News noted.
Johnson, Jonas Brothers and Miranda Take The Stage
Dwayne Johnson voices Maui in Disney's Moana films. He was honored by his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, who reflected on how he redefined the modern movie star, according to The Walt Disney Company. Johnson spoke about the responsibility of creating joy for families around the world. He closed with a message about kindness: "It's nice to be important. But it's more important to be nice."
Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas were inducted together. They were honored by fellow Disney Channel alum Vanessa Hudgens, who spoke about the brothers' decades-long connection to Disney's brands. During the tribute, Joe Jonas revealed his first word was "Gaston." That was a result of repeated childhood viewings of Beauty and the Beast. Nick Jonas recalled playing Chip in the Beauty and the Beast Broadway musical. "You gave three brothers from New Jersey a life beyond anything we could have imagined," Nick Jonas told fans.
Lin-Manuel Miranda's induction included a musical medley of his songs from Moana, Encanto and Hamilton. It was performed by Moana star Auli'i Cravalho, Jordan Fisher, Nikki M. James and others, per The Walt Disney Company. Cravalho presented Miranda with his award. She called him one of the "defining musical storytellers" of her generation. Miranda closed his acceptance with a rewritten verse of "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid. He sang, "And I'm grateful for you, for believing in me. God, what a time. Grateful that I'm, part of your world."
The Full 2026 Class
The remaining members of the 2026 Disney Legends class reflect Disney's reach across animation, sports broadcasting, theme parks and film production. They include broadcaster Chris Berman, honored with video tributes from Robin Roberts, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner, Jerry Jones and Scott Hanson, plus an on-stage presentation from NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young. Producer Jerry Bruckheimer was introduced by Orlando Bloom. Animator Eric Goldberg, creator of the Genie character in Aladdin, was honored with a performance of "Friend Like Me" by the Disneyland Band. Voice actor Alan Tudyk, known for roles in Frozen and Zootopia, was presented by Ginnifer Goodwin. Susan Egan, the original voice of Belle in Disney's Beauty and the Beast musical, was celebrated with a performance from pop group KATSEYE covering "I Won't Say I'm in Love" from Hercules. Kim Irvine was honored for her work on Disney Parks experiences, with a presentation by fellow Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen.
The ceremony closed with Samantha Barks performing "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes." The full 2026 class then gathered on stage for a group photo alongside Disney characters, according to The Walt Disney Company. The Disney Legends Awards Ceremony is set to be available for streaming on Disney+.
The Disney Legends program dates back to 1987, when actor Fred MacMurray became its first recipient. With the addition of this year's 11 inductees, 329 people have now been named Disney Legends, ABC News reported. The most recent prior class, honored in 2024, included Miley Cyrus, Kelly Ripa, Angela Bassett, Jamie Lee Curtis and Harrison Ford. Past honorees over the program's history have included Robin Roberts, Julie Andrews, James Cameron, George Lucas and Robin Williams.
Sunday's Disney Legends Awards capped a three-day D23 event at the Anaheim Convention Center. The event also featured the premiere of filmmaker Leslie Iwerks' documentary Disney Worldbuilders, an auction of rare Disney memorabilia, a look at Disney's musical history with The Grammys, and a tribute performance titled A Whole New World of Alan Menken, according to The Walt Disney Company. The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of ABC News.
