The Hollywood Reporter announced Wednesday that Taylor Swift will receive this year’s prestigious Sherry Lansing Leadership Award at its annual Women in Entertainment Gala Breakfast in Los Angeles. Attended by 600 industry leaders and VIPs, the magazine’s flagship 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 influential female executives and talents in the entertainment industry. Greta Gerwig will present the award to Taylor Swift at the gala, presented by Lifetime founding sponsor and title sponsor Lilly.
The Sherry Lansing Leadership Award recognizes pioneers and philanthropists in entertainment and media and was established in honor of Sherry Lansing, the first woman to lead 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 all fronts: artistic, commercial and on the question of who owns her work,” said THR editor-in-chief Maer Roshan. “She reclaimed her catalog, set new standards for the artists who followed her, and became the most popular musician in the world while helping many other artists along the way. We are proud to honor her with the Sherry Lansing Leadership Award.”
“I am very pleased to present Taylor Swift with the award that bears my name,” said Sherry Lansing. “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. Her generosity and commitment to giving back is equally impressive. She is an extraordinary talent and remarkable role model, and I couldn’t be prouder to see her receive this award.”
Gerwig is a four-time Academy Award-nominated director, screenwriter and actor. Its global phenomenon barbiewhich she directed and co-wrote, has made her one of the most commercially successful filmmakers working today. The film garnered eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, and won Best Original Song. Her debut as a solo director, Lady Birdearned him Academy Award nominations for directing and original screenplay, as well as for his adaptation of Little women received six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. In front of the camera, Gerwig was nominated for a Golden Globe for Frances Hawhich she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach. Other notable credits include Greenberg, Lola Vs, Mistress America (also co-written with Baumbach), Maggie’s Plan, Jackie, Women of the 20th Century, White Noise And Jay Kelly.
His next film as director and screenwriter, Narnia: the magician’s nephew, will be released worldwide in theaters on February 12, 2027.
Lilly joins as a presenting sponsor, where the 150-year-old company will highlight its commitment to women’s health, including working with the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative to improve the way films and television portray breast cancer and other chronic illnesses. To further support the Los Angeles community, Lilly will also host three days of mobile mammograms in Los Angeles neighborhoods in partnership with Black Health Matters.
Around 40 middle and high school students are currently participating in THR‘s Women in Entertainment mentoring program will also be present at the breakfast. The program pairs some of the brightest young women from underserved Los Angeles high schools with some of the most influential female executives in film and television. The WIE Mentoring Program, now in its 17th year, is a joint venture with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. More than 300 students have participated in the program and mentees have received more than $16 million in scholarships over the past 17 years. The culmination of the annual breakfast, this year’s celebration will include the awarding of more than $500,000 in college scholarships to graduating high school seniors participating in the program, generously provided by the Chuck Lorre Family Foundation and Lifetime. The Hollywood Reporter is grateful for the long-standing support of its Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program and Scholarship Fund partners, including Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University and WME, and is excited to welcome the UTA Foundation, Warner Bros. and Waymo as new supporters of the program.
The Hollywood Reporter also announced Target as the new lead partner for its Women in Entertainment mentoring program, highlighting Target’s long-standing commitment, as a national partner of Big Brothers Big Sisters, to strengthening communities through mentorship and expanding opportunities for the next generation of women.
With a generous new grant to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles and the Entertainment Industry Foundation, Target will help maintain the program’s essential resources, including mentor-mentee matching, test preparation, college admissions and financial aid counseling, transportation and career development opportunities, providing young women with the connections, support and tools needed to thrive personally and professionally.
THRThe Women in Entertainment event is proudly presented by founding sponsor Lifetime, whose long-standing partnership and support has helped shape the program’s legacy. Over the past nine years, Lifetime has awarded nearly $2.5 million in scholarships, making a significant difference in the lives and futures of young women.
The event is also sponsored by Delta Air Lines, 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 follows THR’s win at the Daytime Emmys last month. THR acclaimed video roundtable series, Off-script with the Hollywood Reporterwon the award for best popular arts and cultural program.
Also in 2026, THR has won a record 20 SoCal Journalism Awards, including Best Magazine, Best Website and Best Podcast – more wins than any other media outlet. It has earned a record 96 National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards nominations, surpassing any other news organization, after winning 50 top honors in 2025. Other honors include the American Society of Magazine Editors Award for Best Coverage and the 2026 Webby People’s Voice Award for Best Entertainment Website.
The Hollywood Reporter The Women in Entertainment Mentorship Program is a fund supported by the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization (federal tax ID 95-1644609). EIF, recognized by Forbes as one of America’s Best 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.
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