Disability Belongs Announces 2026 Entertainment Lab Cohort
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- Disability Belongs announced a virtual 2026 Entertainment Lab cohort, its eighth annual program, slated to run from May to September.
- The cohort includes 10 writer/directors, six TV writers, four screenwriters, three documentary filmmakers, one producer, and one music composer, drawn from 13 North American cities and Cape Town, South Africa.
- Netflix and Sony Pictures Entertainment are listed as partial supporters of the 2026 Lab.
- Nathan Varni, ABC Entertainment Group executive and Disability Belongs board member, said the Lab cultivates a new wave of disabled talent reshaping Hollywood.
- Alumni of the Lab have secured work with Disney, Netflix, Paramount Pictures, and Sony Pictures Entertainment, and have premiered projects at SXSW and participated in Sundance Institute programs.
- Ava X. Rigelhaupt, a 2020 alumna, highlighted training in studio collaboration, negotiation, and advocacy for disability inclusion.
Why it matters: Disabled creators gain direct access to industry leaders and skill‑building resources, while studios benefit from a broader talent pipeline that can enhance inclusive storytelling; the Netflix and Sony backing signals corporate commitment to diversifying content. This initiative also positions the nonprofit as a key conduit between disability advocacy and mainstream media, potentially influencing hiring practices across Hollywood.
