Ben Affleck made a surprise appearance at the 2026 Peabody Awards on Sunday, May 31, at the Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The 53-year-old actor did not walk the red carpet, but he appeared on stage to present the first award of the evening, adding star power to the ceremony. The event drew a large turnout of entertainers, journalists, and honorees from across film, television, news, and digital media. Amy Poehler was among the evening’s notable attendees, as she was recognized with the Peabody career achievement award. She attended the event with boyfriend Joel Lovell and was also seen on the carpet ahead of the ceremony. Among the other high-profile guests were Jimmy Kimmel and his wife Molly McNearney, Guillermo Rodriguez, Michael Urie, Yara Shahidi, Halle Bailey, Ethan Hawke, Mandy Moore, David Muir, Ike Barinholtz, Michael Cooper Jr., Marcia Gay Harden, Poppy Liu, Karen Pittman, Anthony Anderson, Xosha Roquemore, host Mo Amer, and performer Aloe Blacc, who opened the show.
The ceremony also highlighted the cast of the Apple TV series Pluribus, including Rhea Seehorn, Karolina Wydra, Carlos Manuel Vesga, and Samba Schutte, after the series was named one of the entertainment winners. Their attendance reflected the broad range of projects celebrated by the Peabody Awards, which honor excellence in storytelling across media. According to Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, this year’s winners reflect the organization’s mission to recognize stories that can influence culture and public discourse, including work that examines immigration enforcement, portrays terminal illness in an intimate way, and resists efforts to limit free speech.
The 86th annual Peabody Awards were selected by a 28-member jury and included winners across entertainment, documentary, news, podcast and radio, arts, children’s and youth programming, immersive and interactive media, and public service categories. In total, 34 winners were chosen from more than 1,000 entries submitted across all categories. The awards underscore Peabody’s continued role as one of the industry’s most respected honors for socially relevant and impactful storytelling. The ceremony brought together a mix of established stars, emerging talent, and acclaimed creators for an evening focused on recognizing work that resonates beyond entertainment.
