The fan voted field is set, with AACTA overnight unveiling the 2026 Audience Choice Award nominees, giving audiences their first look at the shortlist ahead of next Friday’s awards.
Spanning film, television, podcasts, music and digital, the shortlist offers a snapshot of what audiences have been watching, streaming and listening to over the past year, at least among those who took part in the vote.
The Audience Choice Awards again sit apart from the industry voted categories, placing the outcome directly in the hands of the public across ten fan driven awards, expanding on the more streamlined six category format seen last year.
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This year’s nominees reflect a mix of global franchises, local favourites and emerging talent across screen and audio. Several familiar names return after featuring in last year’s Audience Choice race, including Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hamish Blake, Abbie Chatfield and Robert Irwin, alongside a fresh mix of new contenders.
Expanded Audience Choice categories continue to reflect shifting viewing habits, with podcasts, online channels, music videos and the Rabanne Breakthrough Artist Award recognising how audiences now engage beyond traditional television.
Nominees for the 2026 AACTA Audience Choice Awards:
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Film
How to Train Your Dragon
KPop Demon Hunters
Lilo & Stitch
Regretting You
Sinners
Wicked: For Good
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite TV Series
Adolescence
Ginny & Georgia Season 3
Stranger Things Season 5
The Pitt Season 1
The Summer I Turned Pretty Season 3
Wednesday Season 2
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Actress
Isla Fisher
Margot Robbie
Phoebe Tonkin
Rebel Wilson
Rose Byrne
Sarah Snook
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Actor
Chris Hemsworth
Dacre Montgomery
Hugh Jackman
Jacob Elordi
Joseph Zada
Sam Reid
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AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Podcast
Australian True Crime
Big Small Talk
Hamish & Andy
Hear Me Out
Life Uncut
Shameless
She’s On The Money
Toni and Ryan
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Music Video
5 Seconds of Summer – Boyband
Keli Holiday – Dancing2
Tame Impala – Dracula
The Kid LAROI – A Cold Play
The Kid LAROI – She Don’t Need to Know
Vance Joy – Fascination in the Dark
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Rabanne Breakthrough Artist
Felix Mallard
Joseph Zada
Josh Heuston
Maia Mitchell
Mekonnen Knife
Milly Alcock
Odessa Young
Samara Weaving
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Media Personality
Abbie Chatfield
Celeste Barber
Chris Brown
Hamish Blake
Robert Irwin
Sophie Monk
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Online Channel
Aunty Donna @auntydonna
Chloe Ting @ChloeTing
Dr Esme Louise James @dr.esme.louise
How Ridiculous @howridiculous
HowToBasic @HowToBasic
Lazer Beam @lazarbeam
Norris Nuts @norrisnuts
Tom Harris @tomharrisfootball
AACTA Audience Choice Award for Favourite Australian Digital Creator
Abbie Chatfield @abbiechatfield
Bridey Drake @brideydrake
Deja Clark @more.dejankat
Jiny Maeng @jinymaeng
Luke and Sassy Scott @lukeandsassyscott
Mekonnen Knife @mekonnen_official
Olly Bowman @mrmelk_
SophaDopha @sophadophaa
With a mix of returning favourites and a few surprises in the mix, does this year’s Audience Choice shortlist reflect how you’ve been watching and listening? Let us know in the comments below!
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The winners of the 2026 AACTA Audience Choice Awards will be announced alongside the AACTA Awards Ceremony, broadcast at 7.30pm AEDT on Friday 6 February on Channel 10, with extended coverage available the following night on BINGE and Foxtel.
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