What new award category was added to the Oscars starting in 2026?

The Academy Awards will introduce a new competitive category, "Achievement in Casting," beginning with the 98th annual ceremony in 2026, which will honor films released in 2025. This marks a significant development as it is the first new competitive Oscar category to be added since Best Animated Feature Film was established in 2001. The creation of this award acknowledges the vital and often overlooked role that casting directors play in shaping a film's success, recognizing their essential contributions to cinematic storytelling.

The journey to this recognition has been a long one for casting professionals. Efforts to establish an Oscar for casting date back to the late 1990s, with a similar proposal being rejected in 1999. However, momentum grew, particularly after the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) formed a dedicated Casting Directors Branch in 2013, comprising nearly 160 members. This branch played a crucial role in advocating for the award. Prior to this new category, only one casting director, Lynn Stalmaster, had received an honorary Academy Award, underscoring the historical lack of formal recognition for the craft.

The "Achievement in Casting" award is designed to celebrate the creative consideration and selection of actors who form a film's ensemble, focusing on the overall casting of a movie rather than individual performances. Casting directors work closely with a film's director and producers to find the right talent, whether discovering new faces, assembling a cohesive cast with particular chemistry, or managing large and complex productions. This new category elevates a foundational aspect of filmmaking that, while critical to a film's artistic and commercial success, has historically operated outside the main awards spotlight.