SCAD TVfest 2026 Honorees And Programming Line-Up Announced
The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) today announced honorees and programming for SCAD TVfest, taking place Feb. 4–6, 2026, in Midtown Atlanta’s SCADshow theater. Now in its 14th year, the university’s flagship celebration of television and streaming brings together acclaimed creators, performers, and industry leaders with fans and students from SCAD’s top-ranked acting and film and television degree programs for screenings, premieres, conversations, and honors recognizing excellence across the evolving television landscape.
"TV lovers, prepare to swoon! At this year's SCAD TVfest, SCAD students and alumni will bask in the limelight alongside the industry's brightest stars, on screen and on set, with Emmy Award winners, showrunners, and casting visionaries," said SCAD President and Founder Paula Wallace. "Fan favorites like Bridgerton’s Golda Rosheuvel and Adjoa Andoh, Survivor’s Jeff Probst, Abbott Elementary mastermind Quinta Brunson, The Pitt’s mesmerizing cast members — recipients of this year’s Impact Award! — and more will take center stage at SCAD Atlanta for top honors and master classes nonpareil. With every pitch, every panel, every premiere, SCAD Bees leap from script to screen, ready to steal scenes, command credits, and fly to the top of the call sheet."
SCAD TVfest 2026 will honor an exceptional group of artists and storytellers whose work reflects television’s enduring power and cultural impact. Honorees include Aldis Hodge (Cross), receiving the Luminary Award; Ali Larter (Landman), receiving the Distinguished Performance Award; Jeff Probst (Survivor), receiving the Legend of Television Award; Lili Reinhart (Hal & Harper), receiving the Spotlight Award; and Jackson White (Tell Me Lies), receiving the Rising Star Award. The festival will also recognize the ensemble of the critically acclaimed series The Pitt with the Impact Award — featuring cast members Amielynn Abellera, Brandon Mendez Homer, Katherine LaNasa, and Laetitia Hollard — as well as the beloved return of Scrubs, which will receive the Cast Award, celebrating Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke. Additionally, Bridgerton will be honored with the Outstanding Achievement in a Series Award, recognizing standout performances by Adjoa Andoh and Golda Rosheuvel. They will join previously announced honoree Quinta Brunson (Abbott Elementary), recipient of the Variety Creative Showrunner Award.
“We are truly living in a golden era of television — one where the bar continues to rise and storytelling grows bolder and more ambitious every year,” said Christina Routhier, Senior Executive Director of SCAD TVfest. “It’s an honor to bring some of the most popular and influential series in television today to SCAD TVfest in Atlanta, from cultural touchstones like The Pitt, Abbott Elementary, and Bridgerton, to beloved returns such as Scrubs and The Comeback, along with reality television royalty including Survivor and The Great American Baking Show. There is something for everyone, and most importantly, for our SCAD students specializing in film and television, who are gaining a front-row seat to learn directly from their mentors and future collaborators.”
SCAD TVfest 2026 will showcase an expansive slate of programming from across broadcast, cable, and streaming platforms, with featured series from ABC, Adult Swim, Apple TV, CBS, Fox, HBO Max, Hulu, Mubi, NBC, Netflix, Prime Video, The Roku Channel, Sony Pictures Television, Universal Studio Group, Warner Bros. Television, and more. Notable guests and shows attending this year's festival include (subject to change):
● 56 Days (Prime Video) with actors Dove Cameron, Avan Jogia, Karla Souza, and Dorian Missick
● Abbott Elementary (ABC/Warner Bros. Television/20th Television) with creator, showrunner and
actor Quinta Brunson and actor Sheryl Lee Ralph
● Best Medicine (FOX) with actors Josh Charles and Josh Segarra, executive producer/showrunner
Liz Tuccillo, and executive producer Rodney Ferrell
● Bridgerton (Netflix and Shondaland) with actors Adjoa Andoh and Golda Rosheuvel
● Cross (Prime Video) with showrunner Ben Watkins and cast members Aldis Hodge, Alona Tal,
Jeanine Mason, Matthew Lillard, Wes Chatham, and Samantha Walkes
● Deli Boys (Hulu/20th Television/Onyx Collective) with actors Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh and
showrunner Michelle Nader (Deli Boys, Shifting Gears)
● The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins (NBC) with showrunners Robert Carlock and Sam Means and
actors Jalyn Hall and Precious Way
● For All Mankind (Apple TV /Sony Pictures Television) with executive
producers/creators/showrunners Matt Wolpert and Ben Nedivi and actors Toby Kebbell, Coral
Peña, and Sean Kaufman
● Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal (Adult Swim/Cartoon Network Studios) with creator Genndy Tartakovsky
● The Great American Baking Show: Celebrity Big Game (The Roku Channel) with hosts Andrew Rannells and Casey Wilson
● Hal & Harper (Mubi) with actor Lili Reinhart
● In Conversation with showrunner Michael Patrick King (The Comeback)
● Landman (Paramount+) with actor Ali Larter
● Neighbors (HBO) with creators Harrison Fishman and Dylan Redford
● The Pitt (HBO Max/ Warner Bros. Television) with actors Katherine LaNasa, Amielynn Abellera,
Brandon Mendez Homer, Laetitia Hollard and writer Cynthia Adarkwa.
● Rick and Morty (Adult Swim) with executive producer Dan Harmon, showrunner Scott Marder,
director Jacob Hair, and voice actors Harry Belden, Ian Cardoni, Sarah Chalke and Spencer
Grammer.
● SCAD Showcase: chefATL & Lodged with SCAD student creatives
● Scrubs (ABC) with actors and executive producers Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke
● First Look: Survivor 50 (CBS) with host and executive producer Jeff Probst
● Tell Me Lies (Hulu) with actor Jackson White
Panels
SCAD TVfest’s panel series welcomes industry experts and talented SCAD alumni from a myriad of professions to engage in meaningful conversations about their work. Panel discussions take place in event spaces at the university’s high-rise complexes FORTY and FORTY FIVE, the latter of which opened in the fall of 2023. FORTY FIVE also houses SCADshow, which will host all SCAD TVfest screenings at its 700-seat main stage or intimate 130-seat theater.Entertainment Weekly (EW) returns for the eight year as a media partner at the festival, partnering with Getty Images for an on-site portrait studio. They will also curate two panels:
● EW Presents Breaking Big: EW will host its legendary Breaking Big panel again at TVFest this year. This panel features the hottest up-and-coming actors as they discuss their current projects, their starts in Hollywood, and what’s next in their careers.
● EW Presents Bold School: In EW’s Bold School series, power players in the entertainment industry share anecdotes about life lessons, how they found their voice, and how to pay it forward. Join a lively discussion among fierce, fearless female and/or non-binary forces in entertainment, opening up about the power and privilege of taking on roles that redefine the rules and refuse to yield.
Select panels include:
● Behind Her Lens: Showrunners gathers the dynamic forces at the helm of our favorite shows for a discussion on taking a show from conception to finale and everything in between. Confirmed panelists include Liz Astrof (Stumble), Lang Fisher (The Four Seasons), Barbie Kligman (Doc), Michelle Nader (Deli Boys, Shifting Gears), and Liz Tuccillo (Best Medicine).
● The Business and Art of Casting at Warner Bros. Television offers an inside look at the casting process from the executives shaping some of today’s most successful television series, produced by one of the industry’s most prolific and successful studios. Confirmed panelists from Warner Bros. Television include Mele Nagler (EVP & Head, Casting), Tony Sepulveda (SVP, Casting), John Power (SVP, Casting), and Jesse Gomez (SVP, Casting).
● TV's Creative Toolbox: Artisans at Work brings together passionate below-the-line talent working behind-the-scenes of television in a variety of crafts. Panelists include Johanna Coelho (The Pitt), Denise Pizzini (Pluribus), Nina Ruscio (The Pitt), and Howard Sussman (Dancing with the Stars).
● Worlds Beyond: Building the Universes of Sci-Fi and Fantasy Television brings together the architects behind today’s most ambitious genre series to explore how expansive television universes are conceived, developed, and sustained. Confirmed panelists include Matt Wolpert (For All Mankind), Ben Nedivi (For All Mankind), and Jenn Carroll (Pluribus).
● Behind the Seams: TV Costume Design Unveiled hears from renowned costume designers from acclaimed television series, who will take you on a journey through the meticulous artistry of crafting iconic looks. Confirmed panelists include Anastasia Magoutas (Ponies), Cristina Spiradakis (How to Die Alone), and Avery Plewes (Star Trek: Starfleet Academy).
● Backstage at Studio 8H: Inside the Making of ‘Saturday Night Live’ brings together cast member Ashley Padilla with legendary artisans, Producer/Costume Designer Tom Broecker and Head Makeup Artist Louie Zakarian, for an insider’s account of how SNL comes together each week—all at a breakneck pace and under the pressure of live television.
● Funny Business: Writing Comedy with Universal Studio Group dives into the hilarious world of TV comedy with the creatives behind some of Universal Studio Group’s funniest shows. Confirmed panelists include Liz Astrof (Stumble), Robert Carlock (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins), Lang Fisher (The Four Seasons), and Sam Means (The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins).
● From Page to Screen: Inside Creative Acquisitions with Jordan Moblo is a masterclass conversation with Jordan Moblo, EVP of Creative Acquisitions and IP Management at Universal Studio Group, that offers an inside look at how to identify fresh stories that can be adapted into compelling television hits.
● Inside the Writers Room is an open conversation that digs into the dynamic and collaborative world of writers as they navigate the intricacies of crafting narratives that captivate audiences in an ever-changing media landscape. Confirmed panelists include Jenn Carroll (Pluribus), Ben Watkins (Cross), Jeff Greenberg (Gersh), Nikita Hamilton (A Million Little Things), and Nicole Delaney (The Afterparty).
● Meet the Executives, one of the most popular panels at the festival, features executives from content development, programming and marketing who discuss what they look for in a script or series and how to find a balance between studio needs and the stories the audiences want to see. Confirmed panelists include Jimmy Haas (Sony Pictures Television), Christopher King (Sony Pictures Television), Diana Pessin (BritBox) Anastasia Puglisi (Wolf Entertainment) and Amy Suh (UCP).
● Hallmark’s Power of Love Panel — Hallmark is the destination for stories that celebrate love in all its forms, from romance to family connection and community. This panel brings together actors, hosts and executive producers from new Hallmark movies and series to discuss the power of love-centered storytelling. Confirmed panelists include Erin Cahill (Daughter of the Bride), Chilli (Second Chance Love), Matthew Lawrence (Second Chance Love), Evan Roderick (Because of Cupid), and Alison Sweeney (Romance at Hope Ranch).
● SCAD Alumni Voices, where thriving graduates lead an insightful conversation about how their SCAD education helps them navigate the TV industry. Confirmed panelists include Cynthia Adarkwa (B.F.A., dramatic writing, 2017), Jacob Hair (B.F.A., sequential art, 2001), Mahalia Latortue-Pridgett (M.F.A., film and television, 2020), Jocelyn Shelfo (B.F.A., performing arts, 2025), and Maansi Sunkara (B.F.A., visual effects, 2021).
● Breaking In Starts Here: Casting & Representation in Atlanta welcomes seasoned casting directors, managers, and agents to discuss how actors can navigate Georgia's booming entertainment market and beyond. Confirmed panelists include Rhavynn Drummer (RAD Media) Sam Ikhwan (B.F.A., performing arts, 2017) (FORMATION Talent Agency), Dustin Presley (arvold.team), Alexander Gordon White (Alexander White Agency) Lauren Williams (FORMATION Talent Agency), Kimberly Wistedt (Fincannon & Associates).
Honorees
Aldis Hodge (Cross) — Luminary AwardAldis Hodge is an Emmy Award-nominated actor and producer known for his versatile performances across film and television. He most recently starred as Alex Cross in Amazon Prime Video’s crime thriller Cross, which premiered in November 2024 and immediately hit No. 1 on Prime Video’s top 10 list. His performance earned critical acclaim and nominations from the NAACP Awards, Gotham TV Awards, and BET Awards, with a second season set to premiere Wednesday, Feb. 11. Hodge will next be seen in the psychological thriller The Dutchman, the sequel to Road House, and Parallel Forest. Hodge is also recognized for his work in Black Adam as Hawkman, and for his Emmy and SAG-nominated role as an executive producer and star of Showtime’s City on a Hill. His credits span acclaimed films such as Clemency — a film that won the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize and earned Hodge the Virtuoso Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival — Hidden Figures, The Invisible Man, Jack Reacher: Never Go Back, Magic Camp, Marmalade, One Night in Miami, Straight Outta Compton, and What Men Want, as well as notable television roles in Leverage: Redemption, Black Mirror, Medal of Honor, and Underground. Hodge began his career as a child actor alongside his brother Edwin, appearing on Sesame Street and Broadway’s Tony-winning revival of Showboat. In addition to acting, he writes scripts for film and television, designs luxury timepieces, and pursues painting. Hodge’s additional film credits include Bed of Roses, Die Hard with a Vengeance, Edmond, The Lady Killers, The Stone House, and Big Momma’s House alongside television credits like Friday Night Lights, Supernatural, The Walking Dead, Girlfriends, American Dreams, City of Angels, Bones, CSI, ER, Cold Case, Charmed, and Boston Public.
Ali Larter (Landman) — Distinguished Performance Award
Ali Larter stars as the female lead of Taylor Sheridan’s Landman opposite Billy Bob Thornton and alongside Demi Moore, John Hamm, and Andy Garcia. The second season of the hit series was recently nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series at the 32nd Annual Actor Awards. Larter is well known for her feature film debut in the blockbuster hit Varsity Blues as well as her performance as Brooke Windham opposite Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. She starred in the successful first and second installments of Final Destination, the Resident Evil franchise, as well as Obsessed opposite Beyoncé Knowles and Idris Elba. Her additional film credits include The Man in the White Van, The Last Victim, The Hater, House on Haunted Hill, American Outlaws, A Lot Like Love, Drive Me Crazy, Marigold, and Crazy. On the television side, Larter starred in the hit NBC show Heroes, alongside Hayden Panettiere and Milo Ventimiglia, as well as ABC’s The Rookie. Her additional television credits include the FOX series Pitch and the ABC series Splitting Up Together. She also enjoyed a successful run on the New York stage in The Vagina Monologues.
Jeff Probst (Survivor) — Legend of Television Award
Jeff Probst is a five-time Emmy Award winner and the longtime host and executive producer of Survivor, the groundbreaking reality series that redefined television when it premiered in 2000. Now approaching its milestone 50th season, Survivor remains one of the most influential and enduring programs in television history, with Probst at the helm as its defining voice and creative force. In addition to his work on Survivor, Probst is a New York Times-bestselling author and will release Survivor: Forged by Fire, a book celebrating the series’ landmark 50th season, in February 2026. He is also the author of the popular children’s adventure series Stranded.
Lili Reinhart (Hal & Harper) — Spotlight Award
Lili Reinhart is an actress, producer, founder, and a New York Times bestselling author. She most recently starred in and executive-produced Cooper Raiff’s critically acclaimed limited series Hal & Harper, opposite Raiff and Mark Ruffalo for Mubi. The series premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and Reinhart won the “Best Actress” Award at France’s Series Mania. Known for playing ‘Betty Cooper’ on Riverdale, Reinhart won seven Teen Choice Awards for her performance and was nominated for three People’s Choice Awards. On the big screen, Reinhart’s feature credits include Hustlers, American
Sweatshop, Look Both Ways, Chemical Hearts, Galveston, and Miss Stevens. Next, Reinhart will star in IFC Film’s Forbidden Fruit, alongside Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, and Alexandra Shipp and the Amazon MGM Studios adaption of The New York Times Best-Selling book, The Love Hypothesis, opposite Tom Bateman, which she executive produces.
Jackson White (Tell Me Lies) — Rising Star Award
Jackson White is best known for his breakout role as ‘Stephen DeMarco,’ the male lead of the Disney+ and Hulu hit drama series Tell Me Lies, opposite Grace Van Patten. Based on Carola Lovering’s bestselling novel and created by Meaghan Oppenheimer, the series debuted in 2022 and returned for its third season in January 2026, drawing five million viewers in its first week. White recently starred in Swiped, a feature film inspired by the real-life story of Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd, directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg and streaming on Disney+ and Hulu. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival, with White portraying Tinder co-founder ‘Justin Mateen.’ He previously starred in Paramount+’s Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, the Stephen King prequel directed by Lindsey Beer, and appeared opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in Michael Bay’s action thriller Ambulance. On television, White earned critical attention for his performance in HBO’s Mrs. Fletcher, opposite Kathryn Hahn, in the limited series directed by Nicole Holofcener.
Bridgerton — Outstanding Achievement in a Series Award
With cast members Adjoa Andoh and Golda Rosheuvel
From Shondaland and Jess Brownell, Bridgerton returns for a fairy-tale inspired fourth season. Bohemian second son Benedict Bridgerton (Luke Thompson) refuses to settle down, despite pleas to the contrary from matriarch Lady Violet Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell). Until — at Violet’s masquerade ball, Benedict is awestruck by a masked, mysterious Lady in Silver. With the reluctant help of his sister Eloise (Claudia Jessie), Benedict sets out in society to uncover the young lady’s identity. But in fact, his heart’s desire is not in society at all — she is a resourceful maid called Sophie Baek (Yerin Ha), working for the formidable Lady of the house, Araminta Gun (Katie Leung). When fate brings Benedict and Sophie back together, Benedict wrestles between the reality of his affection for this intriguing maid and the fantasy of the Lady in Silver — unaware that they are the same person. Will Benedict’s inability to see these women as one in the same derail the undeniable spark between him and Sophie? And can love truly conquer anything — even a cross-class connection forbidden by society? Inspiring Benedict’s journey are the marriages of his siblings —including Francesca (Hannah Dodd) to John Stirling (Victor Alli), and Colin (Luke Newton) to Penelope (Nicola Coughlan), who faces new challenges as a now public gossip columnist.
The Pitt — Impact Award
With cast members Katherine LaNasa, Amielynn Abellera, Brandon Mendez Homer, and Laetitia Hollard, and writer Cynthia Adarkwa, the critically acclaimed and Emmy Award-winning Max Original series The Pitt, from Warner Bros. Television and John Wells Productions, is a realistic examination of the challenges facing healthcare workers in today’s America, as seen through the lens of the frontline heroes working in a hospital in Pittsburgh. The Pitt’s second season picks up nearly a year after the first season, following the doctors and nurses of Pittsburgh Trauma Medical Center for another 15-hour shift on the Fourth of July.
Scrubs — Cast Award
With cast members and executive producers Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke
J.D. and Turk scrub in together for the first time in a long time: Medicine has changed; interns have changed; but their bromance has stood the test of time. Characters new and old navigate the waters of Sacred Heart Hospital with laughter, heart, and some surprises along the way. The 30-minute revival comedy series stars Zach Braff as John “J.D.” Dorian, Donald Faison as Christopher Turk, and Sarah Chalke as Elliot Reid. Original cast members Judy Reyes and John C. McGinley will guest star as Carla and Dr. Perry Cox, respectively. Bill Lawrence of Doozer Productions created the original series and serves as executive producer alongside Jeff Ingold and Liza Katzer, also of Doozer Productions. Zach Braff, Donald Faison, and Sarah Chalke will star and executive produce. Aseem Batra serves as executive producer and showrunner; Randall Winston also executive produces. The series is produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios.
Passes and individual tickets are on sale now at scadtvfest.com.