Cannes Lions Announces Apple's Eddy Cue as its 2026 Entertainment Person of the Year

May. 21, 2026

Cannes Lions has announced that it will recognise Apple’s Senior Vice President of Services and Health, Eddy Cue, as its 2026 Entertainment Person of the Year. Presented in recognition of the vital role that entertainment plays in the marketing and communications landscape, the award acknowledges the creativity that inspires others to produce truly compelling, meaningful, and entertaining content.

Cue has been instrumental in building Apple’s globally influential entertainment ecosystem, overseeing Apple TV, Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, Apple Books, Apple Pay, Apple News, Fitness+, Apple Card, Apple Maps, iCloud, as well as Apple’s productivity and creativity apps.

Under Cue’s leadership, Apple TV, which launched just over six years ago as a wholly original streaming platform, has become one of the industry’s most award-winning and culture-defining services. For five consecutive years, it has held the top position for the highest critically rated slate of original programming among all streaming services.

Featuring acclaimed series and films from today’s most celebrated storytellers – including The Studio, Pluribus, Severance and Ted Lasso – Apple TV continues to set new industry benchmarks. The Studio recently became the most-awarded freshman comedy series of all time, while Severance was last year’s most Emmy-awarded drama series. In features, Apple Original Films’ Academy Award-winning blockbuster F1 shattered records as the highest-grossing sports film of all time.

Apple was recently named by TIME as one of the world’s most influential entertainment companies, recognising its impact on storytelling, culture and innovation across the global entertainment landscape.

Apple’s commitment to premium storytelling has earned widespread recognition, with more than 800 award wins and more than 3500 nominations to date. Cue also oversees Apple Music, which recently reached all-time highs in both listenership and new subscribers, as well as Apple’s growing sports business, including the company’s exclusive US broadcast partnership with Formula 1, one of the world’s fastest-growing and most exciting sports, as well as landmark partnerships with Major League Soccer and Friday Night Baseball.

About the Award, Simon Cook, CEO, LIONS, said: 

“Eddy Cue has consistently pushed the boundaries of entertainment and storytelling, building platforms and experiences that have redefined how audiences engage with culture. Under his leadership, Apple has not only produced world-class content but has also shaped the future of entertainment through innovation, creativity and an unwavering commitment to quality. We’re delighted to honour Eddy as our 2026 Entertainment Person of the Year.”

 

Apple’s long-standing creative excellence at Cannes Lions continues to demonstrate the company’s impact on culture and storytelling across the global marketing landscape. In 2025, Apple was named Cannes Lions’ Creative Marketer of the Year, an honour recognising marketers that have built a body of iconic, Lion-winning work over a sustained period of time. The company also earned the Creative Effectiveness Grand Prix for its iconic ‘Shot on iPhone’ campaign, further reinforcing its track record of producing culturally resonant, award-winning creative work. Other highly awarded campaigns include "Relax: Tractor", ‘The Underdogs: Swiped Mac’, ‘TED LASSO: Fake Team. Real Partners.’ and ‘Fuzzy Feelings’.

Cue will deliver a keynote seminar on Monday 22 June on the Lumière Theatre alongside legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer, before collecting the Award during that evening’s Cannes Lions Awards Show.