Ego Nwodim will host the 2026 Indie Spirit Awards, Film Independent announced on Tuesday. The annual ceremony celebrating indie film and first-season TV will take place on Feb. 15 at the Hollywood Palladium.
“No stage celebrates the incredible work of these visionary artists and independent creators everywhere quite like the Spirit Awards,” Nwodim said in a statement. “I can’t wait to join Film Independent for an afternoon of fun, laughs and a few surprises.”
Nwodim is the latest “SNL” veteran to host the irreverent and playful event, following Aidy Bryant, Kate McKinnon, Fred Armisen and Melissa Villaseñor. In addition to her seven years on “Saturday Night Live,” the comedian performed her one-woman show at Lincoln Center in November as part of “The Comedy Series.” She has appeared on the TV series “Poker Face” and “It’s Florida, Man,” as well as in movies including “Players” “Spin Me Round” and “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.” She also hosts the podcast “Thanks Dad” and will soon be seen in Mindy Kaling’s Hulu comedy “Not Suitable for Work” and in Disney’s “Hoppers.”
“We are thrilled to have the brilliantly talented Ego Nwodim joining us to host the 41st annual Spirit Awards,” Brenda Robinson, Acting President of Film Independent said via statement. “Ego has entertained audiences with her sharp wit and genius comedic timing for many years and we’re excited to make her a part of Film Independent history. We are looking forward to a day filled with hilarity and joy as we celebrate excellence in independent film and television on February 15th.”
Nominees for the 41st Indie Spirit Awards were announced on Dec. 3, when “Peter Hujar’s Day,” “Blue Sun Palace,” “Lurker,” “One of Them Days,” “Sorry Baby” and “Train Dreams” were among the titles in the film categories, while such programs as “Citizen Nation,” “Pee-wee as Himself,” “Adolescence,” “Common Side Effects” and “Forever” were recognized in the TV categories. To be eligible for the Indie Spirits, films must come in at a budget of $30 million or less, while television shows are considered only for their first season. Last year, Sean Baker’s “Anora” won Best Feature, Director and Actress (for Mikey Madison) before going on to win even bigger at the Oscars.
The 2026 Indie Spirit show kicks off at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on the Film Independent and IMDb YouTube channels and across social platforms.
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