Missy Elliott to receive Icon Award from Janet Jackson at Gala of the Stars
Missy Elliott will receive the Icon Award at the Gala of the Stars on Thursday, Oct. 22. Janet Jackson, last year's recipient, will present it.
The 2026 edition will be held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., organisers have confirmed Billboard. The Gala of the Stars is the annual benefit supporting Dancers Against Cancer. Noah Lands, the group's chief executive, serves as executive producer of the event.
The handover completes a circle. Elliott once presented Jackson with the BMI Icon Award. Now Jackson will do the honours for Elliott.
Toni Basil will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, presented by Anita Mann. Vincent Paterson will receive the Vanguard Award, presented by Julie McDonald and Tony Selznick. Paula Abdul will present the Paula Abdul Legacy Award, with the recipient still to be announced.
Maksim Chmerkovskiy will return as host. Liza Minnelli will serve as honorary chair. The show is produced by Lands and Adrian Ruiz, with direction by Nancy O'Meara.
Performance comes from Chloe Arnold's Syncopated Ladies. The tap company will perform a piece built around Abdul's hit "Straight Up."
What makes this stand out is the focus. The night honours dancers and choreographers directly, with singers and actors stepping in as presenters. For fans, this means the acceptance speeches will come from behind the camera and from the side of the stage.
The line-up puts Elliott at the centre of that celebration. Jackson passes on the Icon Award after holding it for a year. Basil, Paterson and Abdul's yet-to-be-named recipient complete the list of honourees.
