by FilmInk Staff
CASTING GUILD OF AUSTRALIA ANNOUNCES DATE FOR 2026 AWARDS, HOSTED BY JOEL CREASEY AND KAT STEWART WITH SPECIAL GUEST DAINA REID
The annual Casting Guild of Australia (CGA) Awards Ceremony will return to the Arts Centre Melbourne on Friday 27 November 2026. Nominees for the awards are set to be announced late-October.
Launched in 2015, the CGA Awards is the only casting awards ceremony in the southern hemisphere that celebrates and recognises casting across all mediums including film, television, television commercials, theatre, new media and reality. The annual Awards Ceremony seeks to acknowledge and support the critical role casting directors play in bringing together great casting opportunities both on a national and international stage.
This year, internationally acclaimed director and Emmy nominee Daina Reid (The Handmaids Tale, Run Rabbit Run) will join the celebration as a special guest. The CGA is overjoyed to welcome her to this year’s Awards as one of Australia’s most respected directors.
Beloved Australian performers Joel Creasey and Kat Stewart will host the 2026 Awards Ceremony, treating guests to a special celebration of the Australian casting community.
Joel Creasey said, “I would never turn down the opportunity to remind a room of casting directors how proficient I am in reading a script. Especially when it’s alongside an icon like Kat Stewart. So I look forward to being the Nina to her Billie Proudman for the night. And cornering lots of influential people and running them through my extensive CV. Yes, I’ll be bringing headshots.”
Kat Stewart said, “Casting directors are a lifeline for actors, agents and producers alike. I am honoured and excited to be taking part in this year’s Casting Guild Awards to celebrate an incredible year of work!”
CGA President Thea McLeod said, “We are so excited to have Daina joining us as our special guest, and Joel and Kat hosting this year’s Awards. They are three extraordinary people who are so respected and loved within our industry. It feels like a wonderful way to celebrate Australian casting and the incredible talent we work with every day.”
2026 CGA AWARD CATEGORIES:
- Best Casting in a Feature Film
- Best Casting in a Short Film
- Best Casting in a TV Comedy
- Best Casting in a TV Drama
- Best Casting in a Telemovie & Miniseries
- Achievement in Casting
- Best Casting in a Theatre Production
- Best Casting in a TVC – Community
- Best Casting in a TVC
The 2026 CGA Rising Stars will be announced in early-November, when recipients will be interviewed by some of Australia’s top casting directors on CGA’s social pages in the lead up to the prestigious, invite-only awards night on November 27. The Rising Stars are named annually by the CGA and are considered as Australia’s top emerging talent. Last year’s recipients were Clare Hughes, Ioane Sa’ula, Joseph Zada, Lily Latorre, Roxie Mohebbi, Stacy Clausen, Tanzyn Crawford, Tharanya Tharan, Xavier Molyneux and Zoe Phillips.
For further information about CGA visit www.castingguild.com.au and be sure to follow their official socials channels for the latest news and updates.
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Official hashtag: #CGAAwards2026 #CGAAwards | Facebook: @CastingGuildOfAustralia |
Twitter: @CastingGuildAU | Instagram: @castingguildaust
