ANAHEIM, CA (The Hollywood Times) 8/16/26 – D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event wrapped up its massive three-day celebration Sunday with one of the weekend’s most emotional and star-filled moments: the 2026 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony.
Inside a sold-out arena, Disney honored 11 entertainers, creators and visionaries whose careers have become part of the company’s history: Chris Berman, Jerry Bruckheimer, Susan Egan, Eric Goldberg, Anne Hathaway, Bob Iger, Kim Irvine, Dwayne Johnson, the Jonas Brothers, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Tudyk.
Hosted by Ryan Seacrest, the ceremony mixed heartfelt tributes, surprise appearances, musical performances and plenty of nostalgia as each honoree received what Disney considers its highest honor.
Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro opened the ceremony by focusing on the people behind the stories that have connected with audiences for generations.
“For more than a century, Disney stories have endured time because they tap into something timeless,” D’Amaro said, crediting the honorees for their creativity, innovation and ability to continue pushing storytelling forward.
It would be difficult to honor Lin-Manuel Miranda without music, and Disney certainly didn’t try.
His tribute included songs connected to Moana, Encanto and Hamilton, with Auli’i Cravalho presenting his award. Performers including Jordan Fisher and Nikki M. James were also part of the celebration.
Miranda’s impact on Disney has become difficult to separate from the sound of some of the studio’s biggest modern hits, making his inclusion among the Legends feel especially fitting.
Alan Tudyk received a tribute highlighting his seemingly endless collection of memorable Disney characters, including roles in Frozen and Zootopia.
Ginnifer Goodwin presented his award, celebrating an actor whose voice work has quietly become part of the fabric of modern Disney animation.
Imagineer Kim Irvine was honored for a career devoted to creating the places where Disney stories become real-world experiences.
Disney Legend Ming-Na Wen presented Irvine’s award and recognized her contributions to attractions that generations of Disney Parks visitors have experienced firsthand.
The Jonas Brothers were welcomed into the Legends family by Vanessa Hudgens, bringing another wave of Disney Channel-era memories to the ceremony.
Their Disney history stretches back decades, and their induction recognized a relationship with the company that helped introduce the brothers to an entire generation of fans.
Broadway and Disney favorite Susan Egan received a particularly theatrical tribute.
Performers who followed Egan in the role of Belle in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast joined in a musical celebration, while KATSEYE performed “I Won’t Say I’m in Love” from Hercules, in which Egan famously voiced Megara.
Disney’s legacy extends far beyond movies and theme parks, something clearly reflected in the induction of longtime ESPN personality Chris Berman.
His tribute included appearances from Robin Roberts, Peyton Manning, Kurt Warner, Jerry Jones and Scott Hanson, while NFL Hall of Famer Steve Young presented the award.
Berman helped define an era of sports broadcasting, making his unmistakable voice and style part of ESPN history.
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer, whose blockbuster résumé has helped define modern Hollywood filmmaking, received his honor from Orlando Bloom.
Their connection through the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise provided an appropriate reminder of just how large Bruckheimer’s imprint on Disney filmmaking has been.
Legendary animator Eric Goldberg was honored by Walt Disney Animation Studios Chief Creative Officer Jared Bush.
Goldberg helped bring the Genie to life in Aladdin, so naturally the Disneyland Band joined the celebration with a performance of “Friend Like Me.”
It was one of those perfect D23 combinations of animation history, live music and fan nostalgia.
Anne Hathaway Joins the Legends
Oscar winner Anne Hathaway was inducted with a presentation from The Devil Wears Prada 2 director David Frankel, along with a special video message from Anna Wintour.
From The Princess Diaries to the many roles that followed, Hathaway’s relationship with Disney has stretched across decades, making her induction another major moment of the afternoon.
Dwayne Johnson received his award from his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt, who reflected on his evolution into one of the world’s most recognizable movie stars.
Johnson has become closely associated with Disney through projects including Moana and Jungle Cruise, combining action-star appeal with a surprisingly strong place in the Disney family.
Former longtime Disney leader Bob Iger received one of the ceremony’s biggest tributes.
Introduced by Josh D’Amaro, Iger was celebrated through appearances from major names across entertainment, news and sports, including Al Michaels, Diane Sawyer, Ellen Pompeo, Robert Downey Jr. and Harrison Ford.
The tribute reflected not just Iger’s long corporate leadership but the extraordinary transformation of Disney during his tenure.
The ceremony closed on a suitably magical note when Samantha Barks performed “A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes.”
The newest Disney Legends then gathered onstage for a group photo alongside Disney characters — an appropriately sentimental finale to both the ceremony and D23 weekend.
The Legends ceremony was only part of Sunday’s programming.
Fans returned to the Anaheim Convention Center for panels, performances, shopping and immersive experiences throughout the final day.
The morning included the premiere of Leslie Iwerks’ documentary Disney Worldbuilders, while additional programming ranged from a Disney Experiences auction featuring rare items to a celebration of Disney’s musical legacy and a performance event devoted to Alan Menken.
Fresh from becoming Disney Legends themselves, the Jonas Brothers also hosted a taping of their podcast Hey Jonas!
It was a fitting finish for a weekend built around the full Disney universe — movies, television, sports, theme parks, music and the fans who continue to bring all of it together.
Over three days, D23 gave fans major announcements, sneak peeks, performances and access to some of the people responsible for creating the stories and experiences they love.
But Sunday’s Disney Legends ceremony served as something slightly different.
It looked backward as much as forward, reminding everyone that behind every animated character, unforgettable film, theme-park attraction, song or television moment are real people whose work ultimately becomes part of somebody else’s memories.
And at D23, those memories were very much worth celebrating.
By Valerie Milano
