Kyle MacLachlan Will Host the 77th National Book Awards

Who is hosting the National Book Awards this year? The National Book Foundation has named Kyle MacLachlan as host of the 77th National Book Awards Ceremony & Benefit Dinner, with Michelle Zauner of Japanese Breakfast as the live musical guest. The Foundation announced the lineup on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

The invitation-only ceremony is set for Wednesday, November 18, 2026, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. It will be livestreamed for readers on the Foundation's website and YouTube. Comedian, television writer and author Jo Firestone will host the YouTube Live chat.

MacLachlan and Zauner

MacLachlan is an Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor whose credits include Twin Peaks, Dune, Blue Velvet, Fallout, Sex and the City and Portlandia. He is also the founder of the wine label Pursued by Bear, host of the podcasts Varnamtown and What Are We Even Doing?, and author of the New York Times bestselling memoir Fictional Selves, published in 2026.

"As someone who has spent much of his career bringing other people’s stories to life, and recently had the surreal experience of writing my own, I have a newfound appreciation for the art of storytelling," MacLachlan said. "Books take us places we’ve never been, introduce us to people we’ve never met, and occasionally keep us up past our bedtime. To host the 77th National Book Awards is a tremendous honor, and I’m looking forward to celebrating some of the finest storytellers working today."

Zauner is a GRAMMY-nominated musician and the lead singer of Japanese Breakfast. Her memoir Crying in H Mart was a number-one New York Times bestseller. Her second memoir, Thank You for Your Suffering, is due in spring 2027. She hosted the 2025 National Book Awards Finalist Reading at NYU Skirball.

"My love for literature has shaped my understanding of the world and influenced my own work as a songwriter and an author," Zauner said. "I’m delighted to be the musical guest at the 77th National Book Awards Ceremony, and to share the stage with some of the most exceptional storytellers of our time."

The rest of the evening

David Steinberger, chair of the Foundation's board, said the Foundation was "pleased to welcome host Kyle MacLachlan and musical guest Michelle Zauner—both incredible writers, artists, performers, and avid readers." Executive director Ruth Dickey called it "the biggest night in books" and urged readers to join the livestream.

Honorary co-chairs for the evening include Nicholas Britell, Jeremy O. Harris, Cord Jefferson, Barry Jenkins, Radhika Jones, Celine Song and Lulu Wang, joined by a wider host committee named in the release.

Two lifetime awards are also on the program. Salman Rushdie will receive the Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, presented by Kiran Desai. Perri Klass will receive the Literarian Award for Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community, presented by Jason Reynolds.

Finalists in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature and Young People’s Literature were announced earlier in October. Winners will be named at the November 18 ceremony. PT covered the 2026 National Book Awards finalists when that list landed.

Why it matters for authors

The livestream is the public door. Most authors will never sit at Cipriani, but the Foundation streams the night for free. Watching how winners speak about craft, translation and young people's literature is still useful research for anyone who writes, publishes or teaches.

Celebrity hosts keep the night on a wider radar. Pairing a bestselling memoirist-actor with a bestselling memoirist-musician is meant to pull in viewers who do not usually follow trade awards. More eyes on the livestream can mean more readers discovering finalists the next morning.

The benefit funds year-round programs. The Foundation says the dinner drives money for free books in public housing, author events and teacher support. For midlist and debut authors, those programs are part of how a national award ecosystem reaches readers beyond the ceremony room.

Sources

• National Book Foundation: Kyle MacLachlan, Golden Globe–Winning Actor and New York Times Bestselling Author, to Host 77th National Book Awards Ceremony & Benefit Dinner (October 15, 2026)