“Bob believed in us in a way that we probably didn’t believe in ourselves,” Nick Jonas said of Bob Iger, former chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company, as Iger was named the 2026 PAC NYC Icon of Culture on Tuesday (Oct. 27) at the Perelman Performing Arts Center in New York City. Speaking on behalf of Joe and Kevin, his brothers and partners in the Jonas Brothers, Jonas praised Iger as “one of the finest cultivators of talent the industry has ever seen.”
Music played a big part in the event, which began with six-time Grammy-winning recording artist Samara Joy’s performances of “Stardust” and “Just in Time.” Rufus Wainwright closed the event with the iconic “When You Wish Upon a Star” from Disney’s Pinocchio, featuring Jiminy Cricket, before welcoming everyone back on stage for a final toast to Iger and PAC NYC.
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Reprising their roles of Alexander Hamilton and George Washington from the blockbuster Broadway musical Hamilton, Austin Scott and Isaiah Johnson performed “One Last Time,” which is also the title of Iger’s forthcoming memoir.
A medley of performances of hits from the Disney vault included Bradley Gibson performing “Seize the Day” from Newsies, Anastascia McCleskey performing “This is Me” from The Greatest Showman, Adam Jacobs performing “Proud of Your Boy” from Aladdin and Charissa Hogeland performing “Let it Go” from Frozen.
Mickey Mouse conducted the orchestra through a sweeping rendition of “Fantasmic!” while visuals celebrated Disney’s marquee franchises.
Introducing Iger, Michael R. Bloomberg, chair of the board, PAC NYC, said, “As CEO of Disney, Bob took the company to new heights, with new ventures and expansions — and a historic run of global box office hits. … It’s fair to say: Few people have done more than Bob to shape American culture over the past 25 years — both here at home, and in the eyes of people all around the world.”
Bloomberg was mayor of New York City from 2002-13. The show also included appearances and performances by Oscar winner Ariana DeBose, EGOT recipients Benj Pasek & Justin Paul, ABC News heavyweights David Muir and Robin Roberts, and Josh D’Amaro, who succeeded Igor as CEO of the Walt Disney Company.
Reflecting on his decades-long career, Iger said, “Having the opportunity to entertain the world through extraordinary storytelling has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work for a very special company, learn from generous mentors, and work alongside thousands of talented people whose creativity and passion have brought so much joy to the world. I’ve always believed in the importance of nurturing creativity and supporting the people who make it possible, which makes this recognition from the Perelman Performing Arts Center especially meaningful to me. I’m deeply honored and grateful to everyone at PAC NYC.”
This was the third annual PAC NYC Icons of Culture Gala. The inaugural gala in 2024 honored MTV co-founder Tom Freston. In 2025, PAC NYC celebrated fashion designer, philanthropist and author Diane von Furstenberg. Since its inception, PAC NYC Icons of Culture has raised over $10 million.
