Another Sunday, another awards show! This time it’s the Film Independent Spirit Awards 2026, which will be hosted by Saturday Night Live! alum Ego Nwodim, and is taking place for the very first time at the Hollywood Palladium, a departure from its usual Santa Monica location.
Nominees this year include, on the film side, Peter Hujar’s Day and Sorry, Baby for best feature, in addition to Rose Byrne of If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, Tessa Thompson of Hedda, and Lurker’s Théodore Pellerin for their performances. (The Spirit Awards, as they’re known colloquially, do not have binary gender categories for actors.) In the television categories, Adolescence is up for best new scripted TV series and received nods in three other categories. Seth Rogen, Michelle Williams, and Noah Wyle of The Studio, Dying for Sex, and The Pitt, respectively, are also nominated this year.
When it comes to the fashions, the Spirit Awards often highlight a more relaxed and lowkey side of the red carpet. This is likely, in part, because the ceremony takes place in the afternoon rather than evening, and also because, as its name suggests, this awards show celebrates independent cinema rather than blockbusters—the guest and nominees lists are more expansive and therefore cover a broader fashion remit than, say, the Grammys or the Golden Globes.
The 2026 awards season so far has been defined, mostly, by a demure look that harkens back to the glory days of Hollywood: Head-to-toe black, bits of sparkle, and silver and golden metallics. Few exceptions have broken through: Be that Chappell Roan’s scandalous Mugler slip at the Grammys or Tessa Thompson’s standout Balenciaga dress at the Golden Globes. The exception to this rule, however, has been a keenness for naked dressing: Think of Teyana Taylor’s Tom Ford gown at the Grammys or Jennifer Lawrence in sheer Givenchy at the Golden Globes.
