Former “The Walking Dead” showrunner Angela Kang is set as writer and executive producer on “Never to Be Found,” a psychological thriller TV series in the works at Amazon MGM Studios.
Per the description for the series adaptation, “Never to Be Found” “is a psychological thriller that weaves together themes of disappearance, identity, obsession, and the long shadow of trauma. The novel alternates between present-day Brighton/York and flashbacks to Japan and London, following protagonist Veronica Page as she becomes entangled with a suspected murderer while confronting her own painful past.”
Currently in the development stage, “Never to Be Found” is based on an upcoming novel by “The Confession” author Jo Spain, which is set to release July 2 in the UK.
Kang will write and executive produce the project alongside her Kang & Co Entertainment producing partner Mandy Safavi. Spain is also an executive producer.
Currently under a multi-year overall deal at Amazon MGM Studios, Kang is also writing and producing a book-to-TV-series adaptation of R.F. Kuang’s fantasy novel “Katabasis.” Previously, Kang was developing Amazon’s now-scrapped “Silk: Spider Society” live-action series. She formerly served as showrunner of “The Walking Dead” and is an executive producer on one of AMC’s ongoing spinoff series, “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon.”
Kang is repped by Dave Park and Gina Reyes at UTA, A.B. Fischer at Literate, and PJ Shapiro at JSSK.
“Never to Be Found” author Spain is repped by Nicola Barr at Rye Literary and Will Peterson at Independent Talent Group, and Mary Darby of Darby Literary for translation.
The Royal Shakespeare Company‘s West End staging of “My Neighbor Totoro” has unveiled a fresh wave of casting as the production approaches its first anniversary at London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre this March.
The multi-award-winning show is a collaboration between executive producer Joe Hisaishi – the original film’s composer and the creative force behind the concept of a stage adaptation – the RSC, Nippon TV and Improbable.
Helen Chong steps into the lead role of Satsuki, marking her West End debut in a principal part. She joins returning cast members Victoria Chen as younger sister Mei, Tabuchi Dai as father Tatsuo, Jacqueline Tate as Granny and Ninomiya Ai as the Singer.
Based on Miyazaki Hayao‘s beloved 1988 animated feature, the story follows two young sisters, Satsuki and Mei, whose mother is recuperating in a rural convalescent hospital. To be closer to her, their father uproots the family from the city to the countryside. While exploring their new surroundings, young Mei encounters magical creatures and the ancient forest guardian she names “Totoro.” Her older sister is initially skeptical, but both girls are soon swept up in extraordinary adventures with their new neighbors — journeying into a forgotten realm of spirits, sprites and natural wonder.
Twelve performers are newly joining the production’s distinctive Kazego Puppetry Ensemble: Karen Barredo, Melisa Camba, Jeffrey Chekai, Chui Yen, Eero Chen Liu (principal puppeteer), Kuroda Natsumi (Tsukiko), Minari Yui, Michelle Miners, Gun Suen (principal puppeteer), Si Rawlinson (movement captain), Tajima Sango (Miss Hara/principal puppeteer) and Bai Zhijin. Returning ensemble members include Rachel Clare Chan, Phyllis Ho, Victor Itang, Gabriel Janoras, Kumiko Mendl (Nurse Emiko), Steven Nguyen (Kanta), Richard P. Peralta and Jamie Zubairi, with swings Ronnie Lee, Wenhsin Lee, Amber Lin and Maehara Sera.
Yoda Kenichi, the Nippon TV producer on the project and a Studio Ghibli board member, said the anniversary underscores the show’s reach. “It is our great honour that this intimate story of a small family continues to reach so many audience members,” he said. “We are deeply grateful to Joe Hisaishi for conceiving and guiding this project.” Yoda also cited Studio Ghibli producer Suzuki Toshio, who holds the London production especially close to his heart: “When people think of London, I hope they will remember Totoro.”
RSC co-artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey said the production’s staying power lay in its craft. “Its flawless staging and masterful craft allow the audience to rediscover the wonder of childhood and the enduring power of hope and community,” they said, adding that they were delighted to welcome the incoming company members at such a milestone moment.
Director Phelim McDermott, co-founder of Improbable, said beginning a new chapter with fresh company members felt both exciting and moving after a year of the show evolving in the West End. “Every new ensemble brings new energy to the piece in subtle and beautiful ways, and I’m certain audiences are going to feel the renewed energy and spirit they bring,” he said. “The show is in wonderful hands, and it will continue to be something truly special.”
Adapted by Tom Morton-Smith (“Oppenheimer”), the production’s journey to the West End has been a record-setter from the outset. Pre-sale demand for the global premiere at the Barbican Centre broke that venue’s single-day box office record for tickets sold in April 2022, ahead of the October 2022 opening. A strictly limited Barbican return followed in autumn 2023, before the show transferred to the Gillian Lynne Theatre in March 2025. Along the way it has collected six Olivier Awards.
The creative team features production design by Tom Pye, puppetry design and direction by Basil Twist, costume design by Nakano Kimie, lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun and movement by Yamanaka You-Ri. Hisaishi’s score is presented in a new orchestration by Will Stuart, performed live alongside sound design by Tony Gayle. Video design is by Finn Ross and Andrea Scott, with dramaturgy by Pippa Hill, casting by Hannah Miller CDG and sound effects and soundscape design by Nicola T Chang.
“My Neighbor Totoro” runs at the Gillian Lynne Theatre through Aug. 30.
Anderson .Paak arrived at the premiere of “K-Pops!” with a lot to celebrate — and his biggest collaborator by his side.
The nine-time Grammy winner debuted his first feature film, a family comedy co-starring his real-life son, Soul Rasheed, that weaves together Black culture and K-pop. The film follows BJ (.Paak), a struggling L.A. musician who travels to Seoul and unexpectedly discovers a tween-aged son competing on a K-pop talent show.
When the pandemic hit and touring came to a halt, .Paak found himself home with an 8-year-old Soul — and quickly realized he had some catching up to do. “He was into two things: he wanted to be a YouTuber and he loved K-pop. I didn’t know about either of them,” .Paak told Variety. “It brought me back to being a kid, making skits with my family and friends.”
Janelle Monae
Variety via Getty Images
From there, a film idea took shape. .Paak said, “I felt really inspired to tell the story — like, what if I didn’t know I had a son that could be next?”
For Rasheed, the inspiration was more specific. “I was really into BTS,” he said, noting that he and his mother had taken .Paak to a BTS concert during the pandemic.
Making the leap to directing was, by .Paak’s own admission, a humbling experience. “It was creative bliss, but it was also the hardest thing — I got my ass kicked,” he said. “So much work. I said it’d be the first and last one, but I would do it again in a heartbeat.”
Atsuko Okatsuka and Anderson .Paak
Variety via Getty Images
Representation was also front of mind as the personal stakes were equally high. Asked why telling this particular story mattered, .Paak didn’t hesitate. “I could have pulled from a lot of things in my life, but it was important to do a family comedy where I’m sharing the screen with my son — for people to see Black families, for people to see joy and happiness,” he said.
Rasheed, making his acting debut, said stepping in front of the camera alongside his father came naturally: “He is actually my dad, so it felt pretty natural.”
.Paak also teased that a soundtrack album is on the way, promising “a lot of cool K-pop collabs.” And for fans of Silk Sonic, there’s more good news — he confirmed he’ll be joining Bruno Mars on tour. “I’m on the whole tour,” he said. “Might be some more surprises.”
“K-Pops!” is in theaters on Feb. 27.
See more photos from the “K-Pops!” premiere below.
Shares of Netflix rose more than 5% in trading Wednesday in the aftermath of Warner Bros. Discovery revealing it had received what could be a competitive offer for the company from Paramount Skydance that might leave the streaming giant mulling whether to continue its pursuit.
Netflix shares stood at $82.23 per share in trading early Wednesday afternoon, up 5.37%, or $4.18, from the day-earlier close of $78.04. Volume stood around 35 million. Average volume is 46.2 million.
Warner late Tuesday said it had received a revised bid from Paramount Skydance of $31 per share that could “reasonably be expected” to lead to a “superior proposal” to the deal Netflix already has in place.W
Warner already has a pact to sell its HBO Max streamer and its studios to Netflix in a transaction valued at around $83 billion.
Warner’s board “has not made a determination” as to whether the revised proposal is “superior” to the merger agreement in place with Netflix, the company said in a statement, and Warner “will engage further” with Paramount to determine if a “company superior proposal” — a term defined within the language of its existing Netflix pact — can be reached. If the board finds such a deal has been received, Warner Bros. Discovery says Netflix will “have four business days after such determination to negotiate with WBD and to propose any revisions to the Netflix transaction.”
Paramount proposed increasing its purchase price for all of Warner to $31 a share in cash, and accelerating the disbursement of a so-called “ticking fee” that would start to accumulate after September 30 of this year until the deal is approved and consummated. Previously, Paramount had proposed starting that fee in January of next year.
Paramount has already said it will pay a $2.8 billion termination fee which Warner would owe Netflix to terminate its current merger deal merger agreement.
Variety will host its inaugural True Crime Summit at SXSW, presented by Investigation Discovery, on March 13, convening the most influential voices behind one of entertainment’s most dominant and culturally resonant genres.
This full-day event, open to all festival badgeholders, will explore the enduring global obsession with stories of mystery, justice and deception, from prestige documentaries and investigative journalism to hit television series and chart-topping podcasts. Across film, television and audio, crime storytelling continues to captivate audiences and reshape the entertainment landscape, and Variety’s SXSW gathering will put the creators, executives and experts driving that momentum center stage.
The day will open with a keynote conversation featuring Nancy Grace, legal commentator and host of “Crime Stories With Nancy Grace,” in discussion with Dea Lawrence, co-president and publisher of Variety. Grace will offer her perspective on the evolution of crime coverage, the responsibility of reporting on real-life cases, and why audiences remain transfixed by the pursuit of justice.
“As true crime series, movies, and podcasts continue to grow in popularity, Variety recognizes the value of connecting fans with creators and experts in the genre,” said Lawrence. “We are pleased to partner with Investigation Discovery on the inaugural True Crime Summit, offering the SXSW audience direct access to the creative minds behind leading documentaries, series and podcasts.”
The program will also spotlight how ID is redefining the genre through its “Docbuster” programming strategy. Moderated by Emily Longeretta, director of features at Variety, this session will explore how event-level documentaries can be urgent and impactful while remaining empathetic and rooted in the voices most affected. Jason Sarlanis, President, TNT, TBS, TruTV, ID and HLN, will join producers Mary Robertson of Maxine Productions, Christina Douglas of Momentum Content and Elli Hakami of Talos Films to discuss breakout hits including “Quiet on Set,” “The Fall of Diddy,” “Lost Women of Alaska,” “House of Hammer” and “The Cult Behind the Killer: The Andrea Yates Story,” and talk about how women are helping reshape the future of true crime storytelling.
In “Masters of Investigative Reporting,” moderator Kate Aurthur, Editor-at-Large at Variety, will lead a conversation examining what it takes to translate true crime events into compelling narratives for audiences. Panelists Valerie Bauerlein of The Wall Street Journal, Karolina Waclawiak of BuzzFeed Studios, Elizabeth Chambers of “Toxic,” Tyson Wrensch, featured in “True Crime Presents: American Hustlers,” Andrew Goldman of “Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder,” and Natalie Morales of “48 Hours” will discuss emerging trends in investigative work, from collaborating with law enforcement to engaging audiences for tips, and the craft of shaping facts into powerful storytelling.
Aurthur will also sit down for a fireside chat with John Allen, widely known as MrBallen and creator and host of “MrBallen’s Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories.” The conversation will delve into the meteoric rise of digital-first crime storytelling and the art of captivating audiences across platforms.
Hooman Shahidi, Chief Product Officer, SimpliSafe, will participate in the session “Stopping the Story Before It Starts,” exploring how new technology is enabling improved protection for loved ones at home and interrupting crime before it unfolds.
“The Booming Business of True Crime Storytelling,” moderated by Variety reporter Ethan Shanfeld, will examine the genre’s explosive growth and increasingly competitive landscape. Jonathan Hirsch of Sony Music Entertainment, Kate Navin of Audible, Eric Sandler of Pushkin Industries, Eva Pilgrim of “Inside Edition” and David Karabinas of Texas Crew Productions will explore strategies for breaking through, expanding global audiences and sustaining momentum as the field becomes more crowded.
A special session will offer a closer look at “The Red Weather,” the podcast created by Rider Strong, blending a personal real-life narrative with a fictional true-crime mystery. In a conversation with Longeretta, Strong will discuss the creative risks and storytelling techniques behind merging memoir and mystery.
“Breaking Through: True Crime at SXSW” will look at standout true crime projects premiering at the festival and the stories audiences will be talking about through 2026. Moderated by Aurthur, the panel will feature filmmakers Chloé Rochereuil (“Crafting Crimes: The Mona Lisa Heist”), Bayan Joonam (“Phoenix Jones: The Rise and Fall of a Real Life Superhero”), Rachel Mason (“My Brother’s Killer”), Sidney Fussell and Jennifer Holness (“While Black”), and Patricia E. Gillespie (“#Skyking”).
The summit will conclude with “True Crime TV Fan Favorites,” moderated by Longeretta, bringing together leading producers behind today’s most talked-about series. Jane Lipsitz (“Homicide: LA,” “Homicide: NY”), Patrick MacManus (“Devil in Disguise: John Wayne Gacy”), Michael D. Fuller (“Murdaugh: Death in the Family”), Beth Karas (“Curious Case of…”), Kevin Fitzpatrick (“Evil Lives Here”) and Donald Albright of Tenderfoot TV will discuss how they select cases, balance truth-seeking with respect for victims’ families, and creatively shape stories that continue to resonate with viewers.
“True crime remains one of today’s most captivating genres, continuously sparking culturally shifting conversations. At Investigation Discovery, we’re incredibly proud to lead the space, delivering storytelling that is compelling, nuanced, and powerful,” said Jason Sarlanis, President of ID. “Partnering with an esteemed outlet like Variety on this summit underscores just how significant and dynamic this genre has become, and we’re honored that the creativity and care we put into our work is being recognized as part of the movement driving important conversations across our society.”
As appetite for crime content continues to surge, Variety’s inaugural SXSW summit will serve as a must-attend destination for industry leaders and fans alike — unpacking the storytelling craft, ethical considerations and business strategies driving one of entertainment’s most powerful and enduring genres. To see the full schedule and RSVP for the event, please visit variety.com/truecrime.
Sondra Lee, the Broadway standout who created the iconic roles of Tiger Lily opposite Mary Martin in Peter Pan and Minnie Fay alongside Carol Channing, Ginger Rogers and others in Hello, Dolly!, has died. She was 97.
Lee died Monday of natural causes in her New York apartment, friend and colleague Joshua Ellis, a former Broadway press agent turned minister, announced.
The 4-foot-10½ Lee made her Broadway debut for choreographer Jerome Robbins in the 1947 musical High Bottom Shoes, starring Phil Silvers and Nanette Fabray, and the two would reunite in 1954 for Peter Pan.
In her nine-decade career, she was a dancer, actor, teacher, author, stage director, playwright, film consultant and painter.
Lee coached the likes of Jane Fonda, Sally Field, Marlon Brando, Dustin Hoffman, Natalia Makarova, John Malkovich, Amy Adams, Matt Dillon, Cyndi Lauper, Joan Jett and John Lloyd Young and served as a consultant on more than a dozen films, among them Places in the Heart (1984), The Morning After (1986) and The Last of the Mohicans (1992).
With Lee as the Native American lass Tiger Lily and Martin as the mischievous little boy who can fly, Peter Pan opened on Broadway at the Winter Garden Theatre on Oct. 20, 1954. Five months later, NBC aired it as the first full-length Broadway production filmed for color TV, and it attracted a then-record 65 million viewers.
Lee then played the young hat-shop assistant Minnie in the original 1964-70 production of Hello, Dolly! opposite Channing, Rogers, Betty Grable and her personal favorite, Martha Raye, as Mrs. Dolly Levis. (Lee and Raye then took the musical on tour with the USO during the Vietnam War.)
From left: Sondra Lee, Carol Channing and Eileen Brennan in ‘Hello, Dolly!’ in 1964.
Courtesy Everett Collectio
The older of two kids, Sondra Lee Gash was born on Sept. 30, 1928, in Newark, New Jersey (most internet biographies say she was born in 1930).
“Sondra wanted to correct the error but never got around to it,” Ellis said. “However, she specifically asked that her this obituary press release set the record straight.”
A tiny, sickly child, she received growth hormones and eventually studied ballet, with the endorsement of prima ballerina Alexandra Danilova, at Studio 61 in Carnegie Hall with Vera Nemtchinova and Edward Caton.
As a teenager, Lee “waltzed right into the YMHA Players” in Newark and joined the revue Hi, Neighbor in the Catskills, where she was befriended by comics including Buddy Hackett, Red Buttons, Jack Carter and Joey Adams.
Back in New York, she moved into a boarding house on West 58th Street, where she fellow tenants included Wally Cox, Maureen Stapleton and Brando.
In 1947, Lee heard about an audition for High Bottom Shoes. As she told it:
“I entered the stage door [of the Shubert Theater] and asked, ‘Who’s Robbins? Out of nowhere this guy comes forward, ‘I’m Robbins. Who are you?’
‘I’m Sondra Lee, and I’d like to audition for this.’
‘The audition is over.’
‘Oh [a bit humorously], I just auditioned for Agnes de Mille for Allegro and they found I was too short, so they let me go. So, I’m going home to commit suicide.’
‘Don’t go home and commit suicide. Come over here and dance for me.’”
Lee moved to Paris in 1957 when she joined Roland Petit’s La Revue des Ballets de Paris with Zizi Jeanmarie. At the invitation of Robbins, she was part of his Ballets: U.S.A. troupe performing in Italy in Spoleto, Florence and Trieste; at the 1958 World’s Fair in Brussels; and on Broadway.
Federico Fellini saw her in Spoleto and cast her as an American ballerina for the final party scene in La Dolce Vita (1960).
She returned to Broadway in 1957 for the Feydeau farce Hotel Paradiso, starring Bert Lahr and Angela Lansbury, and in 1961 for Sunday in New York, starring Robert Redford.
The original production of Hello, Dolly!, directed and choreographed by Gower Champion and produced by David Merrick, opened at the St. James Theatre on Jan. 16, 1964. Lee was part of Champion’s vision of a central trope of scene-stealing actors who somehow manage a balancing act, playing brilliantly off one another.
In development, Champion insisted that Dolly Levi and Minnie Fay never touch, with their relationship largely conveyed in dance. Costume designer Freddy Wittop gave Lee a special hat for Minnie, one that symbolized the character’s endless curiosity and naiveté: a feather in the shape of a giant question mark.
Her success led to an unusual assignment: teaching actors how to die. For a month in 1965, she worked with choreographer John Butler on the new touring division of the Metropolitan Opera, ensuring death scenes evoked an appropriate audience response.
Lee went on to direct cabaret shows based on the music of Stephen Sondheim, including I Know Things Now: My Life in Sondheim’s Words, performed by Jeff Harnar; #Sondheim Montage, performed by Harnar and KT Sullivan; and Another Hundred People, performed by Harnar and Sullivan.
Her last public appearance came at Carnegie Hall on June 23 for the Transport Group’s concert performance of Hello, Dolly! As the musical’s last surviving original principal artiste, she received a prolonged standing ovation.
I’ve Slept With Everybody: A Memoir, her 2009 book, carried readers through 50 years of show business, her lifelong friendship with Brando and her romantic flings. At the time of her death, she was writing her second book, Snapshots Redux.
A celebration of her life and career is being planned.
The lineup for the nightly Nissan Stadium shows at CMA Fest 2026 has been revealed, including a slew of the young stars that are currently helping drive the genre’s popularity, such as Ella Langley, Zach Top, Cody Johnson, Tucker Wetmore, Shaboozey, Stephen Wilson Jr. and Red Clay Strays.
Some longer-established stars will also be on the agenda during the June 4-7 festival in Nashville, of course, including Tim McGraw, Keith Urban, Blake Shelton, Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean.
Hitmakers of the past few years represented on the lineup include Riley Green, Jordan Davis, Hardy, Carly Pearce, Bailey Zimmerman and Russell Zimmerman.
The festival has some returning favorites from past years making a return, too, in the form of Deana Carter, Gretchen Wilson and the recently reconfigured Band Perry.
Other performers will be announced later on, including some opening acts and the nightly performers of the national anthem. This rollout of names includes only the artists who will be appearing at Nissan Stadium (which is set to be demolished for a newer stadium), and not the many dozens more who will perform on daytime stages during CMA Fest.
As always, the four nightly concerts will be filmed to be edited into a prime-time special set to air on ABC and on Hulu. As always, the special will be executive produced by Robert Deaton and directed by Alan Carter. No air date has yet been announced for the special, which used to air after Labor Day but more recently has been moved up into the summer.
Peacock is looking to launch a new round of Bride Wars.
The streamer is developing a series take on the 2009 movie that starred Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway. Emma Roberts is set to star in and executive produce the project, which is described as a “fresh, loose reimagining” of the story. The project comes from New Regency, which produced the film, and co-studios 20th Television and UCP. Sascha Rothchild (XO, Kitty, GLOW) is writing the updated take.
Rather than focus on two dueling brides-to-be, this Bride Wars will focus on a pair of wedding planners. Roberts will play a big-city wedding planner who moves to a small town in North Carolina, setting off “an epic showdown with a beloved local planner,” per the show’s logline. “As the two women battle to plan the same wedding, their rivalry quickly escalates into a larger clash over friendship, community, and, ultimately, love.”
Bride Wars was released in January 2009 to mostly negative reviews, but it pulled in a decent box office haul of about $115 million worldwide. Gary Winick directed the film, which was written by Greg DePaul, Casey Wilson and June Diane Raphael.
Roberts’ recent credits include FX’s American Horror Story: Delicate, the 2023 feature Maybe I Do and Prime Video’s 2024 comedy Space Cadet, which she also executive produced. She was an executive producer of Hulu’s just concluded Tell Me Lies and is set to return to AHS for its 13th season later this year.
Rothchild will executive produce Bride Wars with Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan, and Natalie Lehmann for New Regency; Roberts, Karah Preiss and Matt Matruski for Belletrist; and Alexandra Milchan and Martin Salgo for Crescent Line.
Roberts is repped by Sweeney Entertainment and attorney JR McGuiness. Crescent Line and Alexandra Milchan are repped by attorney Gavin Wise.
Nat Geo, the Disney-controlled nature, science and factual entertainment brand, is turning to creators as it seeks to carve out a digital presence that will span the platforms that increasingly dominate consumer attention.
The company is launching what it calls the “Creator Cohort,” an initiative that will see the company work with eight creators on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube who create content spanning nature, science, history, travel, wildlife photography and other areas. The creators will gain access to brand events and activations around Nat Geo’s signature Earth Month initiative; the next installment of James Cameron’s Secrets Of franchise, Secrets of the Bees; and Lion, among other programming, and will also be able to travel with National Geographic Expeditions and National Geographic Journeys.
Nat Geo, meanwhile, will gain exposure to its brand and programming through the creators, with consumers increasingly turning to these platforms for their short-form factual entertainment. The inaugural program will run for six months, after which the participating creators will be considered for ongoing opportunities with Nat Geo, including marketing and programming activations.
“The way audiences discover and connect with nonfiction storytelling continues to evolve,” said Tom McDonald, executive VP of content for Nat Geo. “National Geographic has always believed in not only the power of storytelling but also backing the storytellers behind them. Supporting the next generation of voices in science, exploration and adventure keeps the genre ambitious and relevant, bringing a new generation of audiences into the Nat Geo ecosystem.”
The inaugural Nat Geo Creator Cohort will include nature and wildlife creators Maya Higa and Macaila Wagner; science creators Ethan Penner and Maynard Okereke; travel and adventure creators Jordan Kahana, Tanya Badillo and Paige TIngey; and history creator Dr. Tenninger Kellenbarger.
The program is being led by Aiman Ahmed, VP of social media at National Geographic.
“For more than a century, National Geographic has been a leader in powerful, fact-based storytelling that transcends platforms and inspires curiosity around the world,” Ahmed said. “That legacy has helped build one of the most engaged and widely followed communities in social media today. Working alongside these eight exceptional creators is an exciting opportunity to extend the reach of Nat Geo storytelling, connect with new audiences, and invest in the next generation of influential nonfiction storytellers.”
The social media platform is hosting its first Snappys Awards Show, honoring breakout creators across entertainment, comedy, music, sports and beauty. The Snappys will take place on March 31 at Snap‘s Santa Monica headquarters, welcoming a variety of influencers, industry leaders and special guests. Comedian and creator Matt Friend will host, and DJ Khaled will be presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award, recognizing his impact and influence as a creator, artist and entrepreneur.
“Snapchat has always been the place where I can be completely myself — it’s where some of the most creative, original voices are building real communities every single day,” Friend said in a statement. “I’ve grown up on this platform, so getting to host The Snappys Awards Show and celebrate the creators who are shaping comedy, music, sports and everything in between feels full circle. It’s going to be a night that’s very Snapchat: unexpected, unfiltered and all about Snap Stars.”
Categories at the show will include recognition for breakout creator, storyteller, collaboration, comedy, and cultural impact, as Jim Shepherd, Snapchat’s head of content partnerships, says, “The Snappys Awards Show is a reflection of how powerful the creator community on Snapchat has become. The Snap Stars we’re honoring aren’t just entertaining audiences — they’re driving conversations, building businesses and shaping culture. This show represents our long-term commitment to giving creators meaningful recognition and real opportunity as they continue to define what’s next.”
Snapchat is the latest social giant to launch its own awards celebration; TikTok held its inaugural U.S. show in December, handing out 14 awards to top creators in a live show at the Hollywood Palladium. And in the fall, Instagram announced its own awards program Rings, which will honor 25 of its top creators with both physical and digital rings, selected by a panel of judges that includes Spike Lee, Marc Jacobs and Instagram head Adam Mosseri.
Snapchat is also coming off of some major growth in Q4, particularly from its Snap Star program, which allows influencers to make money from their content on the platform. That led to a more than 40 percent year-over-year increase in the number of creators posting content on Snapchat in the last quarter of 2025.
