Sarah Snook, one of Australia’s most celebrated actors, will receive the 2026 AACTA Trailblazer Award at the AACTA Awards Ceremony presented by Foxtel Group on Friday 6 February at HOTA on the Gold Coast.
The following day, Snook will headline an exclusive In Conversation event alongside Australian actor Shane Jacobson, offering audiences insights into a career that has seen her become one of the most awarded Australian performers of her generation.
The AACTA Trailblazer Award celebrates Australians who are forging unique and influential pathways in the global industry. Previous recipients include Margot Robbie, Chris Hemsworth, Rose Byrne, Simon Baker and Isla Fisher.
“I’m so honored to receive the AACTA Trailblazer Award,” Snook said. “Australia is where I learned to love storytelling, and every opportunity I’ve had began with the support of this community. I’m grateful to the filmmakers, co-stars, crews and audiences who have lifted me up along the way. It’s a privilege to represent Australian talent on the world stage, and I hope to keep contributing to the vibrant, world-class industry we’re building together.”
Snook’s journey from early Australian screen roles to global recognition will be a focus of the In Conversation session. Her breakthrough performance as Shiv Roy in HBO’s Succession earned her an Emmy Award and two Golden Globe Awards, along with widespread critical acclaim.
Her recent work continues to draw international attention. Snook won the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in a Limited Series last week in Los Angeles for All Her Fault, for which she also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in Limited Series. The series is available to watch on BINGE in Australia.
The conversation will also explore her award-winning stage work, including The Picture of Dorian Gray, which saw her take home both the Laurence Olivier Award and the Tony Award for Best Actress.
Snook has a long history with the AACTAs, having been nominated six times and winning three awards. Her first AACTA came at the inaugural ceremony in 2012 for Best Lead Actress in a Television Drama for Sisters of War. She won Best Lead Actress in a Film in 2014 for her performance opposite Ethan Hawke in Predestination, and most recently received an AACTA Award for her voice performance in the animated feature Memoir of a Snail.
Across stage and screen, Snook has earned 24 major international awards, including an Emmy, Golden Globes, Critics’ Choice Awards, multiple AACTA Awards, and Olivier and Tony awards.
AACTA CEO Damian Trewhella said Snook embodies everything the Trailblazer Award represents.
“From her early work in Australian film and television to her extraordinary global success across screen and stage, Sarah has carved a reputation as one of Australia’s greatest performers,” Trewhella said. “She continues to champion Australian storytelling on the world stage while inspiring the next generation of creatives at home. We are immensely proud to honour Sarah and look forward to hearing more about her journey at this year’s AACTA Festival.”
