The Society of Voice Arts and Sciences (SOVAS™) honored the winners of the 2026 Voice Arts® Awards during a ceremony held Sunday night, January 19, at the Beverly Hilton.
The evening’s most significant honor went to Laurence Fishburne, who received the inaugural James Earl Jones Prize, a newly established lifetime achievement honor celebrating artistic excellence, integrity, and cultural impact in voice performance. The award was presented by Fishburne’s longtime friend and collaborator Angela Bassett, alongside Flynn Earl Jones, the son of the late legendary actor James Earl Jones.
The James Earl Jones Prize was created to honor one of the most influential voices in entertainment history and to recognize artists who embody the legacy Jones left behind—not only in voice acting, but across film, television, theater, and culture at large.
“We are so excited to introduce the James Earl Jones Prize at this year’s Voice Arts Awards,” said Rudy Gaskins, CEO of SOVAS, in a statement. “Having honored James himself at our first-ever ceremony in 2014, we wanted a more permanent way to commemorate everything that he represents to the voice acting community. We could not think of a more deserving first recipient than Laurence Fishburne, whose dedication to the craft sets the standard for generations of voice artists to come.”
Fishburne’s collaboration with Bassett spans decades and includes notable projects such as Boyz N The Hood, What’s Love Got to Do with It, Akeelah and the Bee, and August Wilson’s Fences, along with earlier stage work and shared industry history—making her presentation of the award especially meaningful.
Additional honors presented during the ceremony included the Legacy Award to Debbe Hirata and the Apex Award to Fabián Toro.
The night also recognized Will Packer, who won Outstanding Audiobook Narration – Self-Help, Health & Wellness (Best Voiceover) for his audiobook Who Better Than You?: The Art Of Healthy Arrogance & Dreaming Big, marking another standout moment for Black excellence in voice storytelling.
Now in its 12th year, the Voice Arts® Awards celebrate creative excellence across more than 150 categories, recognizing achievements in animation, film, television narration, audiobooks, audio description, video games, podcasts, political advertising, and spoken word. The awards are presented by Audible, with additional support from United Airlines, Comcast NBCUniversal, SiriusXM, and Telemundo.
The ceremony drew a wide range of presenters and special guests from across film, television, and voice arts, underscoring the continued growth and influence of voice performance as a vital storytelling medium.