Alex Warren performs onstage during his Finding Family on the Road Tour at Crypto.com Arena on June 6 in Los Angeles. John Shearer/Getty Images Alex Warren has been tapped to host the 2026 Kids’ Choice Awards, where Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter lead the list of nominees for the orange blimp statuette.
The show, officially titled CBS Presents Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards, will air live at 8-9:30 p.m. ET/5-6:30 p.m. PT on Nov. 14 from Television City in Los Angeles. This year marks the first time that the show will air on CBS in addition to Nickelodeon. (It also will stream live on Paramount+ for Premium subscribers and on-demand the next day for both Premium and Essential subscribers in the U.S and will be available globally on Paramount+ following its linear premiere on Nickelodeon.)
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Warren, a multiplatinum Grammy-nominated recording artist, will emcee the event, which honors fans’ favorites from the worlds of film, television, music, gaming, sports and more. Taylor Swift leads this year’s nominees with a total of six mentions, followed by Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter with five apiece.
Among the movies and series that are up for KCAs are The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Toy Story 5, Wednesday, Wicked: For Good, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, KPop Demon Hunters and Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
In addition, producers this year have introduced three new categories: Watch Party: Kids’ Choice, Favorite Onscreen Duo/Trio and Favorite Clutch Player of the Year.
Voting in 36 categories is open for fans at kidschoiceawards.com. Musical performances and celebrity appearances will be announced at a later date. The 2026 KCAs are produced by Done + Dusted.
A full list of nominees follows.
FAVORITE MOVIE
Avatar: Fire and Ash How to Train Your Dragon Jurassic World Rebirth Lilo & Stitch Moana Spider-Man: Brand New Day Superman Wicked: For Good
FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway (Andy Sachs, The Devil Wears Prada 2) Ariana Grande (Glinda, Wicked: For Good) Catherine Laga’aia (Moana, Moana) Cynthia Erivo (Elphaba, Wicked: For Good) Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes, Enola Holmes 3) Scarlett Johansson (Zora Bennett, Jurassic World Rebirth) Zendaya (MJ, Spider-Man: Brand New Day) Zoe Saldaña (Neytiri, Avatar: Fire and Ash)
FAVORITE MOVIE ACTOR
Adam Sandler (Happy Gilmore, Happy Gilmore 2) David Corenswet (Clark Kent/Superman, Superman) Dwayne Johnson (Maui, Moana) Hugh Jackman (George Handy, The Sheep Detectives) John Cena (Buddy Crane, Coyote vs. Acme) Ryan Gosling (Ryland Grace, Project Hail Mary) Tom Holland (Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Spider-Man: Brand New Day) Zach Galifianakis (Dr. Jumba Jookiba, Lilo & Stitch)
FAVORITE ANIMATED MOVIE
Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender KPop Demon Hunters Minions & Monsters PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants The Super Mario Galaxy Movie Toy Story 5 Zootopia 2
FAVORITE FEMALE ANIMATED VOICE FROM A MOVIE
Anya Taylor-Joy (Princess Peach, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie) Arden Cho (Rumi, KPop Demon Hunters) Brie Larson (Rosalina, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie) Gabrielle Union (Jett Fillmore, GOAT) Ginnifer Goodwin (Judy Hopps, Zootopia 2) Joan Cusack (Jessie, Toy Story 5) Mckenna Grace (Skye, PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie) Rihanna (Smurfette, Smurfs)
FAVORITE MALE ANIMATED VOICE FROM A MOVIE
Ahn Hyo-seop (Jinu, KPop Demon Hunters) Chris Pratt (Mario, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie) Jack Black (Bowser, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie) Jason Bateman (Nick Wilde, Zootopia 2) Michael B. Jordan (Ollie, Swapped) Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear, Toy Story 5) Tom Hanks (Woody, Toy Story 5) Tom Kenny (SpongeBob SquarePants, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants)
WATCH PARTY: KIDS’ CHOICE
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie Camp Rock 3 Clash of the Thundermans Descendants: Wicked Wonderland Dora and the Search for Sol Dorado Zombies 4: Dawn of the Vampires
FAVORITE VILLAIN
Emily Blunt (Emily Charlton, The Devil Wears Prada 2) Jack Black (Bowser, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie) Jeff Goldblum (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Wicked: For Good) John Cena (Buddy Crane, Coyote vs. Acme) Julia Garner (Shalla-Bal/The Silver Surfer, Fantastic Four: First Steps) Mark Hamill (The Flying Dutchman, The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants) Sadie Sink (Jean Grey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day) Zach Galifianakis (Dr. Jumba Jookiba, Lilo & Stitch)
FAVORITE KIDS TV SHOW
Avatar: The Last Airbender Percy Jackson and the Olympians Soy Luna: Let’s Roll Again The Thundermans: Undercover Vampirina: Teenage Vampire Wizards Beyond Waverly Place
FAVORITE FAMILY TV SHOW
Abbott Elementary Ghosts Ginny & Georgia Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair One Piece Stranger Things Wednesday XO, Kitty
FAVORITE TV SHOW REALITY COMPETITION
American Idol American Ninja Warrior America’s Got Talent LEGO Masters Survivor The Voice
FAVORITE CARTOON
Big City Greens Phineas and Ferb SpongeBob SquarePants Teen Titans Go! The Bad Guys: The Series The Simpsons
FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR (KIDS)
Elizabeth Yu (Azula, Avatar: The Last Airbender) Janice LeAnn Brown (Billie, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place) Kenzi Richardson (Vampirina “Vee” Hauntley, Vampirina: Teenage Vampire) Kira Kosarin (Phoebe Thunderman, The Thundermans: Undercover) Leah Sava’ Jeffries (Annabeth Chase, Percy Jackson and the Olympians) Maya Le Clark (Chloe Thunderman, The Thundermans: Undercover)
FAVORITE MALE TV STAR (KIDS)
Alkaio Thiele (Roman Russo, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place) Aryan Simhadri (Grover Underwood, Percy Jackson and the Olympians) David Henrie (Justin Russo, Wizards Beyond Waverly Place) Gordon Cormier (Aang, Avatar: The Last Airbender) Jack Griffo (Max Thunderman, The Thundermans: Undercover) Walker Scobell (Percy Jackson, Percy Jackson and the Olympians)
FAVORITE FEMALE TV STAR (FAMILY)
Anna Cathcart (Kitty, XO, Kitty) Antonia Gentry (Ginny Miller, Ginny & Georgia) Catherine-Zeta Jones (Morticia Addams, Wednesday) Emma Myers (Enid Sinclair, Wednesday) Jenna Ortega (Wednesday Addams, Wednesday) Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven, Stranger Things) Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield, Stranger Things) Quinta Brunson (Janine Teagues, Abbott Elementary)
FAVORITE MALE TV STAR (FAMILY)
Bryan Cranston (Hal, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair) Cedric the Entertainer (Calvin Butler, The Neighborhood) David Harbour (Jim Hopper, Stranger Things) Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler, Stranger Things) Frankie Muniz (Malcolm Wilkerson, Malcolm in the Middle: Life’s Still Unfair) Isaac Ordonez (Pugsley Addams, Wednesday) Joe Keery (Steve Harrington, Stranger Things) Tyler James Williams (Gregory Eddie, Abbott Elementary)
FAVORITE ONSCREEN DUO/TRIO
Arden Cho, Ji-young Yoo, and May Hong (Rumi, Zoey, and Mira, KPop Demon Hunters) Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo (Glinda and Elphaba, Wicked: For Good) Gaten Matarazzo and Joe Keery (Dustin Henderson and Steve Harrington, Stranger Things) Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman (Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Zootopia 2) Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan (Tess Coleman and Anna Coleman, Freakier Friday) Jenna Ortega and Emma Myers (Wednesday Addams and Enid Sinclair, Wednesday) Joan Cusack, Tim Allen, and Tom Hanks (Jessie, Buzz Lightyear, and Woody, Toy Story 5) Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci (Miranda Priestly and Nigel Kipling, The Devil Wears Prada 2)
FAVORITE FEMALE ARTIST
Ariana Grande Cardi B Karol G Miley Olivia Rodrigo ROSÉ Sabrina Carpenter Taylor Swift
FAVORITE MALE ARTIST
Benson Boone Bruno Mars Drake Ed Sheeran Harry Styles Justin Bieber Lil Uzi Vert Tyler, The Creator
FAVORITE MUSIC GROUP OR DUO
BLACKPINK BTS Jonas Brothers Maroon 5 Twenty One Pilots Weezer
FAVORITE FEMALE BREAKOUT ARTIST/GROUP
ADÉLA Ella Langley KATSEYE Olivia Dean RAYE Stella Lefty
FAVORITE MALE BREAKOUT ARTIST/GROUP
BigXthaPlug Don Toliver Noah Kahan Role Model SOMBR Temper City
FAVORITE SONG
“Daisies” – Justin Bieber “drop dead” – Olivia Rodrigo “hate that i made you love me” – Ariana Grande “I Just Might” – Bruno Mars “Manchild” – Sabrina Carpenter “SWIM” – BTS “The Fate of Ophelia” – Taylor Swift “The Time of My Life” – Benson Boone
FAVORITE SONG FROM A MOVIE
“Big Guy” – Ice Spice (The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants) “Dream As One” – Miley (Avatar: Fire and Ash) “For Good” – Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande (Wicked: For Good) “Golden” – EJAE, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami (KPop Demon Hunters) “I Knew It, I Knew You” – Taylor Swift (Toy Story 5) “Just Keep Watching” – Tate McRae (F1) “RUNWAY” – Lady Gaga, Doechii (The Devil Wears Prada 2) “Zoo” – Shakira (Zootopia 2)
FAVORITE VIRAL SONG
“Babydoll” – Jamie Miller “Boston” – Stella Lefty “Choosin’ Texas” – Ella Langley “E85” – Don Toliver “Hit the Wall” – Gracie Abrams “Man I Need” – Olivia Dean “TIT FOR TAT” – Tate McRae “WHERE IS MY HUSBAND!” – RAYE
FAVORITE MUSIC COLLABORATION
“Bloodline” – Alex Warren (with Jelly Roll) “Bring Your Love” – Madonna & Sabrina Carpenter “Dai Dai” – Shakira, Burna Boy “Dracula (with JENNIE)” – Tame Impala, JENNIE “I Can’t Love You Anymore” – Ella Langley (feat. Morgan Wallen) “Safe” – Cardi B (feat. Kehlani) “Stateside + Zara Larsson” – PinkPantheress, Zara Larsson “The Life of a Showgirl” – Taylor Swift (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)
FAVORITE ALBUM
Am I the Drama? – Cardi B ARIRANG – BTS ICEMAN – Drake Man’s Best Friend – Sabrina Carpenter SWAG – Justin Bieber The Romantic – Bruno Mars The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love – Olivia Rodrigo
FAVORITE GLOBAL MUSIC STAR
Africa: Tyla Asia: BINI Australia: Tame Impala Europe: Zara Larsson Latin America: Karol G North America: Taylor Swift UK: Olivia Dean
FAVORITE FEMALE CREATOR
Brooke Monk Charli D’Amelio Haley Kalil Lexi Rivera Pokimane Salish Matter Sofie Dossi Taylen Biggs
FAVORITE MALE CREATOR
Airrack Dude Perfect IShowSpeed Jesser Kai Cenat MrBeast SeanDoesMagic Unspeakable
FAVORITE CREATOR FAMILY
Earle Family Familia Diamond Jordan and Salish Matter Ninja Kidz TV The Bucket List Family The Fun Squad Vlad and Niki
FAVORITE FEMALE SPORTS STAR
A’ja Wilson Alysa Liu Angel Reese Caitlin Clark Chloe Kim Coco Gauff Mikaela Shiffrin Trinity Rodman
FAVORITE MALE SPORTS STAR
Anthony Edwards LeBron James Lewis Hamilton Lionel Messi Patrick Mahomes Shohei Ohtani Stephen Curry Travis Kelce
FAVORITE CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Caleb Williams Eileen Gu Freddie Freeman Hilary Knight Jack Hughes Jalen Brunson Nelly Korda Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
FAVORITE VIDEO GAME
Among Us Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game Fortnite Minecraft Roblox Super Mario Bros. Wonder
FAVORITE PODCAST
anything goes with emma chamberlain Avatar: Braving the Elements Baby, This is Keke Palmer Hey Jonas! LOL Podcast New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce Percy Jackson and the Olympians Official Podcast Stuff You Should Know
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