The Disney Gracie Awards delivered another impressive showing for The Walt Disney Company, with women-led programs, performers, journalists, directors, and storytellers recognized across ABC News, Hulu, ESPN, National Geographic, Disney Branded Television, and local stations. The results reflect the breadth of Disney’s portfolio and the growing influence of women in television, streaming, sports, and documentary media.
Presented by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, the Gracie Awards celebrate women who bring meaningful perspectives to audiences through journalism, acting, producing, directing, hosting, and other creative roles. Disney’s extensive collection of honorees shows that this year’s recognition reached well beyond a single network or genre.
Disney Emerges as a Major Gracie Awards Winner
Disney secured wins in nearly every major area represented at the awards. From primetime drama and family programming to breaking news, sports coverage, animation, and historical documentaries, the company’s nominees reflected the many ways women contribute to modern media.
Becky Brooks, president of the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation, said the 2026 honorees are using their platforms to challenge assumptions, reveal important truths, and create stories that demand attention. That spirit could be seen throughout Disney’s winners, many of which center on resilient women, overlooked histories, investigative reporting, or experiences that have not always received enough mainstream attention.
A Grand Award for Barbara Walters
The night’s most prominent Disney honor went to ABC News Studios and Hulu for Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything. The documentary received a Grand Award, one of the evening’s highest forms of recognition.
The film pays tribute to Barbara Walters, one of television journalism’s most recognizable figures. Her decades-long career helped reshape the way national interviews were conducted, particularly when she sat down with world leaders, entertainers, and other influential public figures. By earning the Grand Award, the documentary adds another significant achievement to Walters’ enduring media legacy.
Wins Across Scripted, Family, and Competition Television
Hulu’s political drama Paradise was named the top drama series, reinforcing the streamer’s strength in original scripted programming. The series uses a high-stakes premise to explore leadership, trust, survival, and the price of secrecy.
On the competition side, Dancing with the Stars received the award for competition series. Its win recognized not only the show’s continued popularity but also the performers, choreographers, production crew, and viewers who have made it a long-running television event.
Disney Branded Television also enjoyed a strong showing:
- Wizards Beyond Waverly Place won in the family series category.
- Harlem Ice was honored as a leading sports documentary series.
- The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl received an award for its distinctive blend of music, performance, and storytelling.
- The Simpsons earned recognition for the animated comedy episode “Aunt Misbehavin’.”
Together, these wins demonstrate Disney’s ability to produce stories for wildly different audiences,from younger viewers and families to animation fans and concert enthusiasts,without losing a sense of creative ambition.
ABC News Receives Multiple Honors
ABC News delivered one of the most substantial collections of Gracie Awards wins. The recognition spanned flagship programs and audio journalism, underscoring the division’s strength in both television and podcasting.
- Nightline was named the best news program.
- 20/20 received the award for news magazine.
- Deborah Roberts earned recognition as an audio podcast host for 20/20: After Show.
Nightline has long been associated with in-depth reporting, interviews, and coverage of major national and international stories. Its award recognizes the continued relevance of a program capable of evolving alongside the rapidly changing news landscape.
Likewise, 20/20 remains known for investigative features, exclusive interviews, and carefully reported documentary specials. Deborah Roberts’ podcast honor also highlights the growing importance of audio as a major journalistic format, allowing reporters and hosts to provide context, analysis, and extended conversations beyond a television broadcast.
ESPN Celebrates On-Air and Directorial Talent
ESPN’s winners came from both sides of the camera. Jenn Hildreth was recognized for her work as an on-air talent, celebrating her contributions to sports broadcasting and her ability to connect with viewers through knowledgeable, energetic coverage.
Kristen Lappas received the award for best director for the series The Kingdom. Her win draws attention to the creative leadership required to produce compelling sports storytelling. Directors in this field must shape access, emotion, pacing, and character development while still giving viewers an honest look at the athletes and institutions at the center of each story.
These two honors capture the full scope of sports media: the personality and immediacy of the broadcast booth, as well as the detailed visual work that takes place behind the scenes.
National Geographic Earns Documentary Recognition
National Geographic added two documentary wins to Disney’s total. Sally, which focuses on the life and career of astronaut Sally Ride, was recognized in the documentary category. The story is especially significant because Ride became the first American woman to travel to space, overcoming barriers in a field historically dominated by men.
Cleopatra’s Final Secret received the historical documentary award. By investigating the life and legacy of one of history’s most recognizable rulers, the program reflects National Geographic’s commitment to combining scholarship, archaeology, and accessible visual storytelling.
These awards also illustrate the power of documentaries to place women’s achievements and historical questions in sharper focus. Rather than treating familiar subjects as finished stories, both programs encourage audiences to look more closely at the people, evidence, and cultural forces behind them.
Streaming and Nonfiction Showrunner Success
Sharon Horgan earned best supporting actress honors for Hulu’s The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox. The recognition highlights her work in a dramatized story connected to one of the most widely followed criminal cases of the modern era.
Quiana Burns was also named the top non-fiction showrunner for The Tamron Hall Show. The award recognizes the behind-the-scenes leadership involved in shaping a successful talk show, from developing segments and coordinating guests to maintaining a program’s voice and daily momentum.
These wins are important because they place performers and production leaders in the same celebratory spotlight. The Gracie Awards recognize that memorable media depends on both the people in front of the camera and the women making creative decisions behind it.
Local and Student Honorees Will Be Celebrated Next
Disney’s success also extends to local and student media. WABC’s Sam Ryan and the team behind ABC7 KGO-TV’s A Mother’s Hope are among those scheduled to receive recognition later this summer at the Gracie Awards Luncheon.
Their inclusion is a reminder that influential stories are produced far beyond national studios. Local journalists often develop close relationships with their communities and bring attention to issues that may otherwise remain outside the national conversation. Student honorees, meanwhile, represent the next generation of women entering an evolving media industry.
The Celebration Continues at the Gracie Awards Gala
National winners will be honored at the Gracie Awards Gala on Tuesday, May 19, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. They will be celebrated alongside other 2026 recipients, including Oprah Winfrey, Abby Phillip, and Sarah Snook.
With national, local, and student honorees all receiving recognition, the Gracie Awards continue to highlight the depth and diversity of women’s work in media. Disney’s performance is especially notable because its winners represent so many divisions, formats, and audiences. The company’s many victories form a portrait of an organization whose newsrooms, streaming services, sports studios, animation departments, and documentary teams are being recognized for work created by and centered on exceptional women.
Conclusion
From the Grand Award for Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything to wins for Paradise, Nightline, ESPN, National Geographic, and Disney Branded Television, this year’s Disney Gracie Awards results celebrate stories with purpose and impact. The broad range of honorees confirms that women are shaping every corner of the media landscape,and that audiences are paying attention.