Jacob Elordi, Chase Infiniti, Amy Madigan, Wagner Moura, Renate Reinsve, Sydney Sweeney, Teyana Taylor and Jeremy Allen White share little in common except that they are all performers who had a breakthrough, of one sort or another, in 2025 and therefore have been tapped to receive the Santa Barbara International Film Festivals Virtuosos Award in early 2026.

At Santa Barbaras historic Arlington Theater on the evening of Sunday, Feb. 8, the octet will be interviewed, individually and then collectively, by TCM host Dave Karger, who will be moderating this event for the 16th year. Then they will receive their actual awards from a surprise presenter. Elordi and Sweeney, costars on TVs Euphoria, are being feted for their performances in Frankenstein and Christy, respectively. Infiniti and Taylor are both being celebrated for their work in One Battle After Another. White, best known for TVs The Bear, is being recognized for his first leading performance in a studio film, as Bruce Springsteen in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, while Madigan, the veteran of the group, was tapped for her colorful and terrifying turn in Weapons. And Moura, a Brazilian, and Reinsve, a Norwegian, are being feted for performances in films made in their own respective countries and languages, namely The Secret Agent and Sentimental Value.

Karger said in a statement: This years group of Virtuosos are as impressive as they are eclectic. Weve got three international actors, two megastars from acclaimed television series, two breakouts from the latest Paul Thomas Anderson film, and even one veteran performer who earned an Oscar nomination 40 years ago. I cant wait to return to Santa Barbara for my 16th year and chat with them all.

Past Virtuosos honorees include Kieran Culkin, Selena Gomez, Ariana Grande, Mikey Madison, Lily Gladstone, DaVine Joy Randolph, Andrew Scott, Austin Butler, Danielle Deadwyler, Ke Huy Quan, Jeremy Strong, Ariana DeBose, Alana Haim, Troy Kotsur, Riz Ahmed and Zendaya.

The 41st edition of SBIFF will take place Feb. 4-14, 2026. Previously announced honorees who will be in attendance include Adam Sandler (Jay Kelly).