BET Awards 2026 to Honor Teyana Taylor With ‘Icon of the Year’ Award

Teyana Taylor will receive the “Icon of the Year” trophy later this month at the 2026 BET Awards.

The actress, singer and choreographer will be recognized for her “work, presence, and vision” in the entertainment industry, BET announced Tuesday, June 9.

“Teyana Taylor is the embodiment of what it means to be an icon in this moment,” Connie Orlando, executive vice president of specials, music programming and music strategy at BET, said in a statement.

“She doesn’t ask for a seat at the table, she builds the table, designs the rooms, and sets the tone for everyone who walks in. Her fingerprints are all over culture, and it is an honor to celebrate everything she represents on Culture’s Biggest Night,” Orlando added.

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Taylor, 35, is a native of Harlem, New York. At age 15, she choreographed the video for Beyoncé’s “Ring the Alarm,” according to People magazine. Taylor has since evolved into a multiplatinum singer-songwriter and award-winning actress.

She most recently appeared in filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar-winning drama, One Battle After Another. Taylor won a Golden Globe in January in the best supporting actress category for her performance in the film as revolutionary fighter Perfidia. She also picked up an Oscar nomination.

Taylor previously led the cast of writer-director A.V. Rockwell’s award-winning family drama, A Thousand and One (2023).

More recently she starred opposite Matt Damon and Ben Affleck in crime drama The Rip (2026), and joined the ensemble cast of Ryan Murphy’s Hulu drama series, All’s Fair. Her visual album Escape Room earned a 2026 Grammy nomination for best R&B album.

Taylor will pick up  the “Icon of the Year” trophy when the BET Awards air live from Los Angeles on Sunday, June 28 at 8 PM ET from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with Druski as host.