TAYLOR SWIFT TO CLOSE ACADEMY MUSEUM GALA WITH SPECIAL PERFORMANCE
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Taylor Swift is set to return to the stage for a special performance at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures' sixth annual gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 17.
The museum announced Thursday, Oct. 8, that the 36-year-old pop superstar will close the evening, which will honor filmmaker and composer John Carpenter, Oscar-nominated actor Colman Domingo and Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron.
"Taylor is an extraordinary talent whose work resonates around the world," Amy Homma, director and president of the Academy Museum and Academy Collection, said in a statement. "We are thrilled to welcome her to this year's gala and look forward to her performance to close a wonderful evening of honoring three extraordinary filmmakers and supporting the Academy Museum's mission to celebrate and preserve cinema."
The annual event raises funds for the museum's exhibitions, educational programs, public screenings and preservation efforts. Rolex is the gala's exclusive partner, while Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw are serving as co-chairs.
Swift's appearance comes during an increasingly prominent period in her connection to the film industry. She has been expanding her work behind the camera and is reportedly still attached to a feature film she announced in 2022 as her directorial debut, although the project has not yet been released.
She also recently premiered her self-directed "Patient Zero" music video at the MTV Video Music Awards. Starring Dakota Johnson and Colin Farrell, the visual earned attention alongside Swift receiving the inaugural Artist Director Honors at the ceremony. She later made a surprise appearance during Johnson's "Saturday Night Live" monologue.
The Academy Museum performance also arrives shortly before the start of Oscars voting season. Swift is eligible for Best Original Song for "I Knew It, I Knew You," her original song for Toy Story 5. Preliminary voting is scheduled for early December, with shortlists expected Dec. 15 and final Oscar nominations set to be announced Jan. 21, 2027.
Her connection to the Academy Museum's co-chair Spielberg also goes beyond the gala. In June, he inducted Swift into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, praising her ability to connect with audiences. "Through her songs, she has taken billions of people by the hand and by the heart," he said.
