Inaugural Easterseals Disability Arts & Culture Awards Announce 2026 Nominees

Here is the press release:

Easterseals Disability Services and Film Independent today announced comedian Tina Friml as host of the inaugural Easterseals Disability Arts & Culture Awards (The DARCYS), which recognize outstanding achievement in authentic disability representation across film, television and social media, honoring filmmakers, performers and creators who are reshaping narratives and setting a new standard for disability inclusion.

The organizations also announced the 2026 nominees in nine competitive categories (full list below) and revealed that acclaimed actor, comedian, activist, author and speaker Geri Jewell will receive the first-ever Legacy Award, recognizing her groundbreaking contributions to disability representation in entertainment.

Formerly known as the Media Access Awards, the inaugural DARCYS awards ceremony will take place on Saturday, Oct. 10, at The Historic Barker Hangar in Santa Monica and will be broadcast on PBS SoCal (date TBD), with rebroadcasts on PBS stations nationwide (check local listings).

“As we launch The DARCYS, we are thrilled to honor the extraordinary talent helping to reshape the way disability is seen and understood,” said Mark Whitley, President & CEO of Easterseals Southern California, “and proud to have Tina Friml bring her unique voice, humor and perspective to this celebration of authentic representation. From the nominees who are telling powerful, authentic stories, to Geri Jewell, whose groundbreaking career opened doors for generations to come, this year’s honorees embody the progress we want to see across entertainment and popular culture.”

The ceremony is co-produced by Film Independent Spirit Awards’ Executive Producers Shawn Davis and Andrew Schaff, in collaboration with Live Digital Entertainment Executive Producer Eddie Delbridge.

“I can’t wait to celebrate this extraordinary group of nominees who are bringing their talent, creativity and unique voices to our industry,” said Davis. “It’s inspiring to see the work they’re doing, the impact they’re making and the ways they are helping shape the future of entertainment. I’m equally excited to be working with Tina Friml as our host. Tina brings such a fresh, fearless and hilarious perspective to everything she does, and I look forward to seeing her bring that energy, joy and incredible sense of humor to the DARCYS stage.”

Tina Friml Hosts

Friml brings her distinctive voice and sharp comedic perspective to a ceremony dedicated to celebrating authentic disability representation. Born with cerebral palsy, the stand-up comedian challenges perceptions of disability through humor and personal storytelling, embodying the mission of The DARCYS.

Friml made her late-night television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and has appeared on Comedy Central’s Stand-Up Featuring, as well as Don’t Tell Comedy. A 2019 New Face at the Just for Laughs Festival, Friml has built a devoted following and performs to sold-out audiences across the country.

“Authentic representation of disability, or of any underspoken identity, needs three things: Confrontational honesty, unapologetic confidence and the revealing moments which happen outside of the average sight line,” said Friml. “I’m honored to be a part of casting a light on the new generation of visionaries who will raise the level of disability storytelling closer to where it deserves to be.”

The Inaugural Nominees Are:

Best Feature 

Presented to the director, writer, producer and featured talent. 

• Color Book

Director/Writer/Producer: David Fortune

Producers: Autumn Bailey-Ford, Kiah Clingman, Kristen Uno

Featured Talent: Jeremiah Daniels

• Espina

Director/Writer/Producer: Daniel Poler

Producers: Jorge Abarca, Paulina Mondragón, Gloria Ortega, Ari Tan, Frida Torresblanco

Featured Talent: Jonathan Benaim

• Horsegirls

Director/Writer: Lauren Meyering

Writer/Producer: Mackenzie Breeden

Producers: Alix Madigan-Yorkin, Michael Sherman

Featured Talent: Lillian Carrier, Matthew Schwab

Best Performance in a Feature

• Autumn Best

BRB

• Aidan Delbis

Bugonia

• Anna Sargent

Take Me Home

Best Documentary

Presented to the director and producer.

• The Haunting of Pennhurst

Directors/Producers: Mike Attie, Katarina Poljak, Nathan R. Stenberg

Producer: Daniel J. Chalfen

• The Ride Ahead

Director/Producer: Dan Habib

Director: Samuel Habib

• You Look Fine

Director/Producer: J. Snow

Best Scripted Series

Presented to the creator, executive producer, co-executive producer and featured talent in multiple episodes.

• All Her Fault

Creator/Executive Producer: Megan Gallagher

Executive Producers: Jennifer Gabler Rawlings, Nigel Marchant, Gareth Neame, Christine Sacani, Sarah Snook, Minkie Spiro, Joanna Strevens

Featured Talent: Daniel Monks

• The Pitt

Creator/Executive Producer: R. Scott Gemmill

Executive Producers: Simran Baidwan, Michael Hissrich, Erin Jontow, Joe Sachs, John Wells, Noah Wyle

Featured Talent: Tal Anderson, Jessica “Limer” Flores, Victoria Mack, Christopher Thornton

• Pulse

Creator/Executive Producer: Zoe Robyn

Executive Producers: Carlton Cuse, Emma Forman, Bradley Gardner, Michael Klick

Co-Executive Producers: Shepard Boucher, Ann Cherkis, Helen Childress, Johanna Lee, Joshua Troke

Featured Talent: Jessy Yates

Best Performance in a Scripted Series

• Liz Carr 

Good Omens

• Daniel Monks

All Her Fault

• Jessy Yates 

Pulse

Best Unscripted Series

Presented to the creator, executive producer and co-executive producer.

• Jay & Pamela

Executive Producers: Julie Insogna-Jarrett, Seth Jarrett, Chaney Moon, David St. John

Co-Executive Producers: Rahel Tennione, Carrie Vandiver Skor

• Love on the Spectrum

Creator/Executive Producer: Karina Holden, Cian O’Clery

• Renegades

Creator: Day Al-Mohamed

Series Producer: Amanda Upson

Executive Producers: Michael Kantor, Carrie Lozano, Charlotte Mangin

Best Achievement in Casting Ensemble

Presented to one film’s director or series creator, casting director and featured ensemble cast. 

• The Pitt

Creator/Executive Producer: R. Scott Gemmill

Casting Directors: Erica Berger, Cathy Sandrich Gelfond

Featured Ensemble Cast: Tal Anderson, Jessica “Limer” Flores, Diana Elizabeth Jordan, Victoria Mack, Christopher Thornton

Christopher Reeve Emerging Talent Award

Created by Christopher Reeve, this award is presented to an up-and-coming actor who is living with paralysis in support of their career in entertainment. Includes a $5,000 cash grant from the Christopher Reeve Foundation. 

• Vincent Rutley

Actor, Disability Influencer, Author

Best Social Creator 

Presented to the content creator(s) who host(s) and produce(s) the affiliated account.

• Molly Burke 

@MollyBurkeOfficial

• Cassidy Huff 

@CassHuff

• The Squeaky Wheel

@thesqkywheel

Geri Jewell to be Honored

Jewell will be recognized with the inaugural DARCYS Legacy Award, which celebrates individuals with disabilities whose bold advocacy and groundbreaking work have transformed the entertainment, arts and culture landscape, blazing a trail for meaningful disability representation and generating lasting impact.

Jewell began her career as a stand-up comedian at The Comedy Store in 1978 and has since built a multifaceted career as an actor, advocate, motivational speaker and trainer.

She shattered barriers when Norman Lear cast her as Cousin Geri on the NBC sitcom The Facts of Life, making her the first person with a disability to have a regular role on a primetime television series. She went on to appear in television and film projects including Deadwood, Sesame Street, 21 Jump Street,
The Young and the Restless, Strong Medicine and Alcatraz.  

Jewell is the author of I’m Walking as Straight as I Can, which received the 2012 Gold Award from Independent Publishers, and in 2026 released Geri’s Jewels & Gems, a collection of her columns for Ability Magazine.

Behind the Scenes

Eligibility includes specific requirements ensuring that the disability inclusion is substantive, sustained, and integral to the work being recognized. Nominees and winners are determined by industry committees composed of filmmakers, critics, past Media Access Awards honorees and industry guild and nonprofit organization representatives. The DARCYS are committed to meaningful representation within this process, with a majority of committee members being individuals with disabilities. 

A Disability Advisory Committee brought together by Easterseals includes a talented group of disabled individuals who work in the industry. Led by co-chairs Emily Ladau and Nicole Lynn Evans, other members include Jamie Brewer, Christine Bruno, Lawrence Carter-Long, Ashley Eakin, Danny J. Gomez, CJ Jones, Danny Kurtzman, Jim LeBrecht, Lachi, Sue Ann Pien and Lolo Spencer.