Variety Lands Two 2026 Webby Awards Nominations

The nominees for the 30th annual Webby Awards have been announced, and Variety magazine has received two nominations. The Webby Awards honor the best of the Internet, encompassing various categories of digital content. The 2026 awards ceremony will take place on Monday, May 11, in New York City, hosted by Josh Johnson. Fans can enjoy special moments and the trademark 5-Word Speeches on the Webby Awards' social media channels, including Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, X (Twitter), and Facebook.

All nominees compete for the two main awards: The Webby Award, selected by the Academy, and the Webby People's Voice Award, voted on by fans. Voting for the People's Voice Award is open until April 16 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time at vote.webbyawards.com.

Variety was nominated for 'Does Jennie Know Her Lyrics From Her Biggest Songs?', featuring the singer from the K-pop group Blackpink, in the Music, General Video & Film category; and for 'Hacks' Cast Explain Viral Boofing Scene & The Inspiration For Dance Mom' in the Comedy, General Video & Film category. This year's awards received over 13,000 entries from over 70 countries, with less than 17% of submissions named as nominees. The organizations with the most nominations are Google (46), PBS (29), Apple (23), Disney (23), NBCUniversal (22), and Netflix (22).

Among the celebrities and public figures nominated for the 2026 Webby Awards are Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, LeBron James, MrBeast, Kendrick Lamar & SZA, Kylie Kelce, Katseye, Jimmy Kimmel, Timothée Chalamet, Rosalía, Amy Poehler, Dwayne Johnson, Keith Lee, Reese Witherspoon, Justin Bieber, Stephen Colbert, Sydney Sweeney, Lisa, Carmelo Anthony, Trixie Mattel, Pedro Pascal, Colin & Samir, Jason and Travis Kelce, and Cardi B.

The Webbys span eight major media types: Websites & Mobile Sites, Video & Film, Advertising, Media & PR, Podcasts, Social & Games, Apps, Software & Immersive, Creators, and AI (new in 2026). OpenAI’s Sora 2 is nominated in the Creative Tools, AI Experiences & Applications category. Last week, OpenAI announced it would be shutting down the Sora app. This year, the Webby Awards expanded their Creator honors to include a suite of honors for Creator Business, which “recognizes creators who are building brands, businesses, and communities that shape today’s digital landscape”.

“The 30-year legacy of the Webby Awards reflects how the Internet continues to expand how we create, connect, and express ourselves,” said Jesse Feister, Webby Media Group executive director. “Each wave of technology reshapes our lives and the standards of what great work looks like online. From the birth of eBay to the rise of TikTok, the Webbys have defined excellence in those moments. This year, by recognizing new frontiers in AI and creators, we are continuing to champion the kinds of creativity that challenge our conventions”.

The Webby Awards nominees are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences (IADAS). Members include Joanne Jang (GM, OpenAI Labs), Tekedra Mawakana (co-CEO, Waymo), Walton Goggins (actor and filmmaker), Kim Larson (global managing director & head of creators, YouTube), Bob Carrigan (CEO, Audible), Kinney Edwards (global head of creative lab, TikTok), Manuel “Manolo” Arroyo (EVP & global chief marketing officer, The Coca-Cola Co.), Alex Schultz (VP, analytics & chief marketing officer, Meta), Tiffany Rolfe (chair & global chief creative officer, R/GA), Todd Kaplan (chief marketing officer, Kraft Heinz), Paris Hilton, Garry Tan (president & CEO, Y Combinator), Tyler Bahl (chief marketing officer, Activision), and Paula Kerger (president & CEO, PBS). KPMG provides vote tabulation consulting for the Webby Awards.