Andy Garcia is among five artists selected for the 2026 Kennedy Center Honors, joining singer-songwriter Paul Anka, composer David Foster, playwright David Mamet and country star Barbara Mandrell, Deadline reported Monday.
The class will be celebrated Dec. 7 at Capital One Arena in Washington, the first time the gala will be held there, as the Kennedy Center building is closed for potential renovations. No host has been announced, and no network has been named to air the ceremony after the center's broadcast deal with CBS expired. Last year's telecast, hosted by President Donald Trump, drew the lowest viewership in the show's history.
In a statement, Trump said the honorees' "lifelong work has shaped American culture and inspired generations of audiences."
A career that carried Cuban music to the screen
The Kennedy Center cited Garcia's work as an actor and director in film and television and as a music producer. He earned Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actor for Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part III, then picked up an Emmy nomination and a second Globe nod for playing Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval in HBO's For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, which he also executive produced.
The music side of his résumé is a big reason the honor resonates with Latino audiences. Through his company, CineSon Productions, Garcia made his directing debut with the concert documentary Cachao… Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos and won Grammy and Latin Grammy awards for producing and performing on albums by Cuban bassist Israel "Cachao" López. He also directed, produced, scored and starred in The Lost City. He has received lifetime achievement honors from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors and the Imagen Foundation.
Garcia's screen work runs from The Untouchables and Internal Affairs to the Ocean's trilogy, the Book Club films and Father of the Bride, which he also executive produced. On television, he most recently appeared in Season 2 of Taylor Sheridan's Landman; Cup of Soul covered the show's Season 3 renewal.
He is still busy behind the camera. In 2026 he premiered Diamond at the Cannes Film Festival, a film he wrote, directed and stars in alongside Brendan Fraser, Vicky Krieps, Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray, with an original score he wrote with Sandoval. Upcoming projects include The Prince with J.K. Simmons and Giancarlo Esposito and Maserati opposite Anthony Hopkins.
