Celebrity Gist

Dwayne Johnson Earns Prestigious ABFF Entertainment Icon Award

Published on November 28, 2025

Dwayne Johnson will receive the ABFF Entertainment Icon Award at the 2026 ceremony in Beverly Hills, recognising his impact across film and television

Dwayne Johnson, the actor and producer widely known as The Rock, will receive the ABFF Entertainment Icon Award at the 2026 American Black Film Festival Honours in Beverly Hills, organisers announced on Wednesday.

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The ceremony, hosted by Nice Crowd, will take place on 16 February 2026 at the SLS Hotel.

The award recognises an entertainer whose commercial success spans film, television and live performance.

Jeff Friday, Chief Executive of Nice Crowd, said the honour reflects Dwayne Johnson’s remarkable influence across global entertainment and praised his authenticity, perseverance and enduring popularity.

The 2026 edition of the festival will also celebrate Jennifer Hudson with the Renaissance Award, Salli Richardson-Whitfield with the Evolution Award and Damson Idris with the Horizon Award.

Organisers will present a special tribute to the creative team behind the forthcoming motion picture Sinners, directed and produced by Ryan Coogler, Zinzi Coogler and Sev Ohanian, and featuring actor Michael B. Jordan.

The evening will be hosted by comedian and author KevOnStage.

Jeff Friday and President Nicole Friday described Dwayne Johnson as one of the most influential figures in modern entertainment, noting that his journey from sports entertainment to global stardom demonstrates extraordinary drive.

They emphasised that the spirit of the ABFF Honours is to celebrate excellence, resilience and cultural impact, qualities they said Johnson embodies powerfully.

The ABFF Honours, staged annually during the Hollywood awards season, brings together leading filmmakers, actors and industry partners to acknowledge outstanding contributions to film and television.