Kate Berlant and John Early to Host 2027 Indie Spirit Awards

Skip to content The comedians will emcee the celebration of independent storytelling in film and TV taking place March 6 at the Hollywood Palladium November 11, 2026 @ 8:00 AM John Early and Kate Berlant (Sela Shiloni) Kate Berlant and John Early will host the 42nd Film Independent Spirit Awards on March 6 at the Hollywood Palladium. “We’ve always been obsessed with awards shows, and we’re so honored we get to host the coolest one,” the duo said via statement. “Tune in to see if we choke under pressure!” Film Independent made the announcement on Wednesday, emphasizing Berlant and Early’s “singular comedic sensibilities, razor-sharp wit and wildly inventive performances.” Known for their distinctive brand of absurdist comedy, Berlant and Early have worked together for more than 10 years, collaborating on the sketch series “555” and the comedy special “Would It Kill You to Laugh?” Berlant also stars in the 2025 feature “Maddie’s Secret,” which Early wrote and directed. The comics also both built a body of work independently: Berlant with such movies as “Sorry to Bother You,” “Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood” and “Don’t Worry Darling,” as well as her one-woman show “KATE;” and Early with the TBS/HBO Max series “Search Party” and his HBO stand-up special “Now More Than Ever.” “If there’s one thing we don’t need, it’s another predictable awards show,” Juan Devis, President of Film Independent, said, also via statement. “Kate and John are two of the funniest, strangest and most brilliantly unpredictable performers working today. They embody everything we love about independent storytelling: originality, fearlessness and a healthy disregard for convention.” Nominations for the 2027 Indie Spirit Awards will be announced Dec. 2 and will include two new categories: Best International First Feature and the Digital Creator Award. As previously announced, Roman Coppola will serve as Creative Consultant on the 42nd annual awards show. Last year, Ego Nwodim hosted the ceremony, following Aidy Bryant’s back-to-back gigs as emcee of the 2024 and 2025 shows.