Taylor Swift Will Be Honored With The Hollywood Reporter’s Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at Women in Entertainment Gala

The Hollywood Reporter announced Wednesday that Taylor Swift will receive this year’s prestigious Sherry Lansing Leadership Award during its annual Women in Entertainment breakfast gala in Los Angeles. Attended by 600 industry leaders and VIPs, the magazine’s beloved marquee event coincides with the release of The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment issue, featuring the highly anticipated Power 100, a list of the most powerful female executives and talent in entertainment. Greta Gerwig will give the award to Taylor Swift at the gala, which is presented by founding sponsor Lifetime and title sponsor Lilly.

The Sherry Lansing Leadership Award recognizes trailblazers and philanthropists in entertainment and media and was established in honor of Sherry Lansing, the first woman to head a Hollywood studio (Lansing is the former CEO of Paramount Pictures). Past recipients of this honor include Gwyneth Paltrow, Adele, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon, Viola Davis, Barbra Streisand, Shonda Rhimes, Oprah Winfrey, Diane Keaton and Meryl Streep.

“Taylor Swift took on an industry that has long underestimated women and won on every front: artistically, commercially and on the question of who owns her work,” said THR editor-in-chief Maer Roshan. “She reclaimed her catalog, set new terms for the artists who follow her and became the most popular musician in the world while doing it — and helping scores of other artists along the way. We’re proud to honor her with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award.”

“I am so pleased to recognize Taylor Swift with the award that bears my name,” Sherry Lansing said. “She has paved the way for women in music, demonstrating what is possible when a woman takes ownership of her work, her career and her future. Equally impressive is her generosity and commitment to giving back. She is an extraordinary talent and a remarkable role model, and I could not be more proud to see her receive this award.”

Gerwig is a four-time Oscar-nominated director, writer and actor. Her global phenomenon Barbie, which she directed and co-wrote, established her as one of the most commercially successful filmmakers working today. The film earned eight Oscar nominations, including best picture and best adapted screenplay, and won for best original song. Her solo directorial debut, Lady Bird, earned her Oscar nominations for directing and original screenplay, and her adaptation of Little Women received six Oscar nominations, including best picture and best adapted screenplay. In front of the camera, Gerwig earned a Golden Globe nomination for Frances Ha, which she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach. Other notable credits include Greenberg, Lola Versus, Mistress America (also co-written with Baumbach), Maggie’s Plan, Jackie, 20th Century Women, White Noise and Jay Kelly.

Her next film as director and writer, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, will be released globally in theaters on Feb. 12, 2027.

Lilly joins as title sponsor, where the 150-year-old company will spotlight its commitment to women’s health, including work with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative to improve how film and TV portray breast cancer and other chronic diseases. To further support the Los Angeles community, Lilly will also bring three days of mobile mammogram screenings to neighborhoods across L.A. in partnership with Black Health Matters.

Approximately 40 high school juniors and seniors currently participating in THR’s Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program will also attend the breakfast. The program pairs some of the brightest young women from underserved high schools across Los Angeles with some of the most powerful female executives in film and TV. The WIE Mentorship Program, now in its 17th year, is a joint venture with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. Over 300 students have taken part in the program, with mentees having received more than $16 million in scholarships over the past 17 years. A highlight of the annual breakfast, this year’s celebration will feature the presentation of more than $500,000 in university scholarships to high school seniors in the program, generously provided by The Chuck Lorre Family Foundation and Lifetime. The Hollywood Reporter is grateful for the longtime support of its Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program and Scholarship Fund partners including Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University and WME and is thrilled to welcome UTA Foundation, Warner Bros. and Waymo as new supporters of the program.

The Hollywood Reporter also announced Target as the new leading partner of its Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program, underscoring Target’s longstanding commitment, as a national partner of Big Brothers Big Sisters, to strengthening communities through mentorship and expanding opportunities for the next generation of women.

Through a generous new grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Target will help sustain critical program resources, including mentor-mentee matching, test preparation, college admissions and financial aid counseling, transportation and career development opportunities — providing young women with the relationships, support and tools to thrive personally and professionally.

THR’s Women in Entertainment event is proudly presented by founding sponsor Lifetime, whose longstanding partnership and support have helped shape the program’s legacy. Over the past nine years, Lifetime has contributed nearly $2.5 million in scholarships, making a meaningful difference in the lives and futures of young women.

The event is also sponsored by Delta, Waymo and WME and in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles, Entertainment Industry Foundation, Chapman University and Loyola Marymount University.

The news comes on the heels of THR’s Daytime Emmys win last month. THR’s acclaimed video roundtable series, Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter, won the award for best arts and popular culture program.

Also in 2026, THR took home a record 20 SoCal Journalism Awards, including best magazine, best website and best podcast — more wins than any other media outlet. It earned a record 96 nominations at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards, outpacing any other press organization, after winning 50 top honors in 2025. Other accolades include an American Society of Magazine Editors award for best cover and the 2026 Webby People’s Voice Award for best entertainment website.

The Hollywood Reporter Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program is a fiscally sponsored fund of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (Federal Tax ID Number 95-1644609). EIF, recognized by Forbes among America’s Top Charities, is a Charity Navigator 4-Star Charity that meets all 20 Better Business Bureau charity standards and carries the Candid Platinum Seal of Transparency.