Ananya Panday Singing 'Love Story' Steals the Show as Taylor Swift Closes 2026 Academy Museum Gala

An Unexpected Duo Lights Up the Academy Museum Gala

Ananya Panday and Taylor Zakhar Perez became the pairing the internet never knew it needed, after the Hollywood actor shared a clip of the two of them singing along to Taylor Swift at the annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles this past weekend.

The two actors were among the stars at the gala, and Perez — best known for 'The Kissing Booth 2' and the romance series 'Red White and Royal Blue' — gave fans a behind-the-scenes look at the night through a carousel of photos and videos posted to his social media handle.

While some photographs showed him rubbing shoulders with Hollywood stars, another captured a reunion with Nick Galitzine. He concluded the carousel with a clip of himself singing along to 'Love Story', before turning the camera to Ananya to record her having a gala time singing along to the hit track.

Taylor Swift Takes Centre Stage

Pop superstar Taylor Swift took centre stage towards the end of the evening, performing a selection of songs that included 'Blank Space', 'Love Story' and 'I Knew It, I Knew You', her original song for 'Toy Story 5'. She also gave the first live performance of 'The Fate of Ophelia' from her album 'The Life of a Showgirl'.

Videos shared on social media showed guests enjoying Swift's performance, which had been anticipated in advance. Prior reporting on 9 October 2026 had noted that Swift was expected to perform at the gala on October 17, with her reported 'Toy Story 5' song potentially putting her in contention for her first Oscar nomination.

Indian Stars in Attendance

Bollywood actress Ananya Panday, who made a stylish appearance at the event, was among the Indian stars in attendance, alongside Priyanka Chopra.

Honours and Purpose of the Night

The gala, hosted by the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, honoured filmmaker and composer John Carpenter, actor Colman Domingo and actress Charlize Theron.

Co-chaired by Tom Ford, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw, the event raises funds for the museum's exhibitions, educational initiatives and public programmes.