THE PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA ANNOUNCES FIRST PROGRAMS AND DATES FOR PALEYFEST LA 2026

Netflix's Nobody Wants This and Apple TV's Shrinking and HBO Max's The Pitt
Are First Announced Programs

The Festival Will Run April 4 – 12, 2026 at the DOLBY THEATRE in Hollywood with the
Full Festival Lineup Announced on Monday, January 26

Paley Members Receive Exclusive Benefits of Presale, Member Discounts, and Priority Access to All PaleyFest Events 

Presale for Paley Members and Citi Cardmembers Starts on Tuesday, January 27

PaleyFest LA Is Made Possible by Returning Sponsor Citi®
and Founding Benefactor William S. Paley Foundation

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Paley Center for Media today announced the dates and first programs for PaleyFest LA 2026. The nation's premiere media, television, and entertainment festival will take place at the DOLBY THEATRE in Hollywood from Saturday, April 4 through Sunday, April 12, 2026, and the first selected programs are Netflix's Nobody Wants This, Apple TV's Shrinking, and HBO Max's The Pitt. The full schedule for the 2026 festival will be announced on Monday, January 26, with ticket presale starting the next day.

The festival is made possible by Citi returning as an official sponsor, and William S. Paley Foundation as the founding benefactor.

"Nobody Wants This, Shrinking and The Pitt stand out not only for their exceptional writing, but for the way they've captured the hearts of audiences worldwide, and we are honored to announce these acclaimed shows as our first selected programs for this year's PaleyFest LA," said Maureen J. Reidy, President & CEO, The Paley Center for Media. "We want to extend our tremendous thanks to Citi and the William S. Paley Foundation for their generous and continued support of PaleyFest LA." 

PaleyFest LA will celebrate an exceptional lineup of prestigious television series as well as the celebrities and cultural icons who are setting the bar for excellence in media and entertainment. The festival also offers fans the exclusive behind-the-scenes conversations that have become a hallmark of PaleyFest LA.

Across its two celebrated seasons, Emmy-nominated Nobody Wants This - the irresistibly charming romantic comedy from Netflix and creator Erin Foster—has struck a chord with audiences through its witty, heartfelt exploration of modern relationships. The unexpected love story between a rabbi and an agnostic dating podcaster becomes comedy gold in the hands of Kristen Bell and Adam Brody, whose chemistry grounds the series' sharp observations on love, faith, and family. Justine Lupe, Timothy Simons and Jackie Tohn round out the ensemble cast. Bold, clever, and emotionally rich, Nobody Wants This offers a fresh and resonant spin on the contemporary rom-com.

The critically acclaimed, Emmy Award–nominated Apple Original series Shrinking, from Warner Bros. Television and co-created by Jason Segel, Bill Lawrence, and Brett Goldstein, continues to stand as a masterclass in nuanced, character-driven comedy. Seamlessly blending laugh-out-loud humor with deeply resonant emotion, the series is propelled by one of the most exceptional comedic ensembles working today. As anticipation builds for its upcoming third season, Shrinking remains not only a fan favorite but a modern classic, solidifying its place among television's all-time greats.

This year's Emmy Award winner for Best Drama Series, The Pitt, quickly emerged as one of television's most compelling new series. Delivered in gripping weekly installments, the HBO Max and Warner Bros. Television drama from R. Scott Gemmill and John Wells reinvigorates the medical genre with its taut storytelling, layered moral dilemmas, and unflinching emotional depth. Anchored by a bravura performance from Noah Wyle and an outstanding ensemble, The Pitt has redefined appointment television—setting a new benchmark for what prestige drama can be.

"We are so excited to bring Nobody Wants This to PaleyFest this year! We'll discuss icks, hot rabbis, surprise nightstands, and more," said Erin Foster, Creator, Executive Producer, and Writer.

"We're very excited to give Shrinking fans a peek of what goes on behind the scenes and give them an early look of a season 3 finale that we're very proud of," said Bill Lawrence, Co-Creator and Executive Producer.

The Paley Member community receives exclusive Members-Only benefits including discounts on PaleyFest LA tickets and presale access to tickets for selection of the best seats in the house before they sell out, as well as year-round benefits for Paley programs and events. To become a Paley Member, or to give the gift of Paley Membership this holiday season, please visit paleycenter.org/join-us .

Paley Members and Citi cardmembers will have presale ticket access as follows, until seats sell out:

• Paley President's Circle; Patron Circle Platinum, Gold, Silver; Patron's Circle+; Partner Members; and Citi cardmembers can purchase tickets starting on Tuesday, January 27 at 9:00 am PT
• Paley Individual, Family, and Supporting Members can purchase tickets on Thursday, January 29 at 9:00 am PT
• The general public will have access to purchase tickets on Friday, January 30 at 9:00 am PT

Since its inception in 1984, PaleyFest LA has honored notables such as Lucille Ball, Barbra Streisand, George Lucas, Ava DuVernay, Norman Lear, among others, as well as the casts and creative teams from Stranger Things, The Sopranos, The Simpsons, The West Wing, Mad Men, Mary Tyler Moore, Parks and Recreation, Will & Grace, The Walking Dead, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Outlander, and countless more.

While fans eagerly await the start of PaleyFest LA, they have the opportunity to relive some of the festival's best moments on the Paley Center's YouTube channel. Some of the memorable shows featured include Stranger Things, Severance, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Morning Show,Hacks,Suits, Lost, The Golden Girls, The Big Bang Theory, The Mandalorian, Loki, and many more.

PaleyFest LA supports Paley's many education initiatives and programs, and the continued preservation of the Paley Archive, located at The Paley Museum in New York and The Beverly Hills Public Library in Beverly Hills, and featuring more than 160,000 historically significant television and radio programs, as well as television commercials.

For more updates on PaleyFest, please visit paleyfest.org, Paley's Facebook page, and follow @PaleyCenter on X, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, Threads, and on TikTok: @thepaleycenter.

About The Paley Center for Media
Founded by media pioneer William S. Paley in 1975, and chaired by Frank A. Bennack, Jr. since 1991, The Paley Center for Media is the world's leading nonprofit cultural organization dedicated to preserving media history and exploring media's powerful shaping influence on culture and society. The Paley Center for Media, which owns the iconic Philip Johnson-designed Paley Museum, has proudly made its home in New York City for fifty years. The Paley Museum is where media, sports, gaming, and entertainment come together and has been recognized as New York City's "Best Museum" and "Best Children's Party Place" for three years in a row.

During the year, the Paley Center produces unmatched programs and respected educational classes for the public and industry. Paley's best-in-class public programming offers once-in-a-lifetime experiences and exclusive access to today's most talked about names through memorable programs that are entertaining, educational, and captivate audiences across generations. On the industry side, programs educate, inform, and lead the conversation on the rapidly evolving media landscape. Paley's unmatched convening power offers unparalleled access to top industry CEOs, world dignitaries, and global thought leaders. At the heart of the institution is the Paley Archive—the largest publicly accessible collection of its kind—with more than 160,000 programs. Often referred to as a national treasure, this invaluable resource is available at The Paley Museum in New York and at the Beverly Hills Public Library in California and plays a central role in Paley's respected educational initiatives that serve K-12 educators and students throughout the year. 

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