Kate Berlant and John Early are taking over the Spirit Awards. Film Independent announced on Nov. 11 that the longtime comedy partners will emcee the 42nd Film Independent Spirit Awards on Saturday, March 6, 2027, at the Hollywood Palladium.
Film Independent’s announcement quoted the duo together. “We’ve always been obsessed with awards shows, and we’re so honored we get to host the coolest one,” Berlant and Early said.
Then they lowered expectations. “Tune in to see if we choke under pressure!”
Juan Devis, Film Independent’s president, pitched the booking as a break from the usual awards-night script. “If there’s one thing we don’t need, it’s another predictable awards show,” Devis said.
What the Hosts Have Planned
Devis said the duo embody “originality, fearlessness, and a healthy disregard for convention.” In Film Independent’s announcement, he also promised a looser night.
“We’re excited to shake things up, break a few rules, and have some fun along the way,” Devis said.
TheWrap, which reported the news Wednesday morning, quoted Film Independent praising the pair’s “singular comedic sensibilities, razor-sharp wit and wildly inventive performances.” Devis also called them “two of the funniest, strangest and most brilliantly unpredictable performers working today,” according to TheWrap.
Roman Coppola, Film Independent’s new creative consultant, will team up with the hosts, the organization said.
A Comedy Partnership More Than a Decade in the Making
Berlant and Early have worked together for more than a decade, across sketch, stand-up and film. Their best-known joint project is the 2022 Peacock special ‘Would It Kill You to Laugh?’
They told the story of how they met on the public radio show ‘Bullseye with Jesse Thorn’ that year. “We were on the set of a friend’s short film,” Berlant said, according to the show’s transcript.
“And I really felt like I just wanted to talk to John,” she said.
Early knew fast where it was headed. “Oh, this is a partnership,” he said on the show.
Berlant put it more bluntly, joking that the two “do have a marriage. Like, very much.”
Early made his directing debut with ‘Maddie’s Secret,’ which stars Berlant, per Film Independent and TheWrap.
From ‘Search Party’ to ‘The Bear’
Early played Elliott on ‘Search Party,’ which ran on TBS and then HBO Max. His HBO stand-up special is ‘Now More Than Ever.’
Berlant’s film credits include ‘Sorry to Bother You,’ ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood’ and ‘Don’t Worry Darling.’ She’s also appeared on ‘The Bear.’ TheWrap lists her one-woman show ‘KATE,’ and Film Independent cites her special ‘Parmesan.’
Spirit Awards 2027 Nominations Date and New Categories
Nominations arrive Wednesday, Dec. 2, at 7 a.m. PT, on Film Independent’s YouTube channel. Only Film Independent members vote on the winners, the organization said.
The 2027 show adds two categories, Best International First Feature and the Digital Creator Award. It also introduces the Robert Redford Environmental Vision Award. The hosts announcement did not specify a streaming platform for the March 6 ceremony.
The 2026 ceremony, hosted by Ego Nwodim on Feb. 15, 2026, streamed live on the YouTube channels of Film Independent and IMDb, Film Independent said. ‘Train Dreams’ won best feature. Aidy Bryant hosted in 2024 and 2025, TheWrap noted.
The 2026 show also crowned ‘Adolescence’ with four TV wins, which Film Independent called “the most for any television show since the Spirit Awards began honoring the medium in 2021.”
Looking for queer picks before the nominations drop? Gayety’s lists of the best gay movies and best lesbian movies are a start. The nominees land Dec. 2.
