A four-song set at the sixth gala

Taylor Swift performed at the sixth annual Academy Museum Gala on Saturday, 17 October, the fundraising evening for the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles. Conan O'Brien introduced her set, and the two worked together on Toy Story 5, where O'Brien voices a potty training gadget called Smarty Pants. Swift played four songs, starting with The Fate of Ophelia, which she performed live for the first time, followed by Blank Space and Love Story. Her set closed with I Knew It, I Knew You, a song she wrote for the Disney and Pixar animated film Toy Story 5.

O'Brien introduced her with these words:

“It's an insane, unprecedented honor to introduce a cherished member of our little Toy Story 5 family.”

Looks and guests

Swift arrived in an ice-blue Dior gown designed by Jonathan Anderson, then changed into a sparkling Ralph Lauren dress for her performance. The gala drew a long list of celebrities, among them Sabrina Carpenter, Kim Kardashian, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Rosé. Charlize Theron, Demi Moore, Kate Hudson, Ana de Armas, Jacob Elordi and Andrew Garfield were also in attendance. The Irish actors Colin Farrell and Pierce Brosnan were among the guests, with Brosnan accompanied by his wife Keely Shaye Smith. Accounts of the evening describe the crowd as film professionals, academy voters and celebrities gathered for the annual event.

Awards and fundraising

Charlize Theron received the Icon Award, Colman Domingo was honoured with the Vantage Award, and filmmaker John Carpenter, director of the 1978 film Halloween, was presented with the Luminary Award. Now in its sixth year, the gala raised more than $14 million to support the museum's exhibitions, education initiatives and public programmes. The evening is a fundraiser for the institution, and it has grown into a starry West Coast event for fashion and celebrities. The honours went to people recognised for their contributions to the film industry.

Oscar prospects and the album

Swift has written several film songs but had not previously been nominated for an Oscar. This season she is considered a contender for Best Original Song, a category in which I Knew It, I Knew You could bring her first Academy Award nomination at next year's Oscars. The Fate of Ophelia came out as a single alongside The Life of a Showgirl in October 2025 and spent ten weeks at the top of the Billboard chart, but it had not been performed live until Saturday. Her appearance followed the arrival of The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, which adds four fresh songs to the 2025 record. The gala also marks the opening of the awards season, when studios and filmmakers promote their contenders for the coming trophy race.