“I am incredibly proud of this year’s lineup, which I believe is one of our strongest to date,” said Matthew Cole Weiss, EVP of The Astra Awards. “This year’s honorees represent excellence both in front of and behind the camera, with a remarkable range of talent, experience, and storytelling that spans generations and continents. We look forward to celebrating the achievements of these exceptional individuals whose work continues to inspire audiences around the world.”
This year’s Astra Film Awards honorees embody an exceptional span of artistic innovation, career accomplishment, cultural impact, and emerging talent. Their contributions perfectly reflect the spirit of the Astra Awards, as we continue to spotlight bold voices, groundbreaking performances, and visionary filmmaking that push the industry forward. These honorees are not only shaping the narrative in this moment but are inspiring audiences while paving the way for the next generation of industry icons.
Dylan O’Brien — Game Changer Award
Dylan O’Brien is being honored with the Game Changer Award for his eclectic body of work and his proclivity for championing unique and personal storytelling. He can currently be seen starring in Twinless, opposite writer-director James Sweeney. O’Brien also served as an Executive Producer on Twinless, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival where it won the U.S. Dramatic Audience Award and O’Brien won the Special Jury Award for Acting. Additionally, O’Brien’s critically-acclaimed dual portrayal of twins Roman and Rocky was recognized with honors at the SCAD Savannah Film Festival and the Miami Film Festival GEMS, and a nomination for Best Lead Performance at the 2026 Film Independent Spirit Awards.
O’Brien’s upcoming projects include the Sam Raimi-directed horror-thriller Send Help co-starring Rachel McAdams and the disability rights drama Being Heumann from Oscar-winning writer-director Sian Heder. His other recent credits include the 2024 Sundance drama Ponyboi, Jason Reitman’s Saturday Night and the M. Night Shyamalan-produced Caddo Lake, for which O’Brien was nominated for a Gotham Television Award for Outstanding Performance in an Original Film.
