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Teyana Taylor | Source: Getty Images
Teyana Taylor Among 529 Hollywood Stars Invited to Join Film Academy
The Harlem-born multi-hyphenate has spent years quietly rewriting the rules of what a creative career can look like. Now, the industry is catching up — and the recognition is coming in waves.
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Teyana Taylor is on a roll, and the accolades are stacking up fast. The Oscar-nominated star has been named among more than 500 Hollywood figures invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Teyana Taylor attends the 19th Annual Chanel Tribeca Festival Artists Dinner at Tribeca Grill on June 8, 2026 in New York. | Source: Getty Images
The 2026 invitee list includes 95 Oscar nominees — 21 of them winners — along with three Scientific and Technical Awards recipients. Taylor is in impressive company: fellow invitees include Jacob Elordi, Jon Bernthal, Julia Garner, Mia Goth, Simu Liu, Jenna Ortega, Anthony Ramos, and more.
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"We are delighted to invite this remarkable group of film artists and professionals from around the world to join the Academy," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement.
"Through their commitment to filmmaking, this year's exceptionally talented class has made significant contributions to our global movie industry."
Teyana Taylor at the Billboard Women in Music 2026 held at the Hollywood Palladium on April 29 in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
For Taylor, membership comes with meaningful privileges. As a voting member, the "One Battle After Another" star will have a say in who takes home Oscar gold each year. But the benefits extend beyond that.
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Since 2019, Academy members have had access to a private screening platform that lets them watch every nominated film from home. Membership also includes year-round invitations to official Academy screenings and events that regularly bring the Hollywood film community together.
Teyana Taylor at the Tiffany Blue Book Gala held at the Park Avenue Armory on April 16, 2026 in New York City. | Source: Getty Images
This milestone hasn't arrived in isolation. Earlier this month, it was announced that Taylor will be named Icon of the Year at the BET Awards on Sunday, June 28.
The honor goes to a culture-defining artist, as a press release explains, "someone whose impact isn't measured in years but in the undeniable weight they carry in every room, every conversation, and every corner of the culture they touch."
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Few people in entertainment right now embody that description more fully than Taylor.
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Over the past five years, the Harlem native has transformed from a multi-platinum singer-songwriter into an award-winning actress — all while directing, producing, choreographing, and cementing her status as a style icon.
Her recent accolades are a testament to that evolution. She earned a Critics' Choice Award for the Sundance standout "A Thousand and One," followed by a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination for Paul Thomas Anderson's "One Battle After Another."
Her visual album "Escape Room" landed a Grammy nomination for Best R&B Album. She also starred alongside Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in the Netflix action thriller "The Rip" and joined the ensemble cast of Ryan Murphy's Hulu series "All's Fair."
Teyana Taylor attends the 98th Oscars at Dolby Theatre on March 15, 2026 in Hollywood, California. | Source: Getty Images
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Connie Orlando, EVP of Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET, put it plainly, "Teyana Taylor is the embodiment of what it means to be an icon in this moment."
"She doesn't ask for a seat at the table; she builds the table, designs the rooms, and sets the tone for everyone who walks in. Her fingerprints are all over culture, and it is an honor to celebrate everything she represents on Culture's Biggest Night."
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