Hilary Duff, Sarah Jessica Parker and Hugh Jackman are among the celebrities imparting their words of wisdom to 2026 college graduates
Credit: Lisa Aileen Dragani/Getty; Hugh Jackman/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
- Several musicians, athletes, actors and authors have been tapped to give remarks at commencement ceremonies across the country
- Some stars — like Henry Winkler and Conan O’Brien — are speaking at their alma maters
- Sarah Jessica Parker, Hugh Jackman and Colman Domingo are also among the star-studded speakers
Each year, millions of students across the country graduate from college.
To celebrate the major milestone, their schools host week-long celebrations culminating with commencement ceremonies where honored speakers pass along their words of wisdom to the graduates.
Over the years, there has been no shortage of celebrities chosen to speak — including Taylor Swift, Oprah Winfrey, Will Ferrell, Jerry Seinfeld, former President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama.
Luckily for several members of the Class of 2026, there are over a dozen actors, musicians, politicians and athletes have been selected to give commencement speeches this year.
Here are all the celebrities who have been chosen to give commencement speeches for the graduating class of 2026.
Hilary Duff at Northeastern University
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Hilary Duff addressed the Northeastern University undergraduate class of 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston on April 29.
The former child actress reflected on her decades-long career, while sharing some of the lessons she's learned with the graduates.
“What you do might change, but who you are never has to,” Duff told more than 5,000 people, per Northeastern Global News. “Remember you’re not just building a career or a résumé; you’re building a life. You are the architect of your own happiness. You get to decide what belongs in your life. We only get one.”
Duff also encouraged the young adults to trust their own instincts instead of following what other people want them to do, using her own life as a cautionary tale.
“By simply accepting what the world was offering to me, I was losing my own voice,” Duff said. “I was reacting, instead of asking myself what I really wanted.”
Hugh Jackman at Ball State University
Credit: Hugh Jackman/Instagram
Hugh Jackman, who attended college in his native Australia, delivered the commencement speech at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind., on May 2.
The X-Men actor spoke in front of approximately 7,500 people on the school's Art Terrace, per the university. After sharing his remarks, Jackman received an honorary doctorate.
“My life has not gone the way I thought it would," Jackman said, while speaking about embracing failures and life's twists and turns. “A lot of the best things that have ever happened to me have been mistakes or failures, or random classes I joined to get me across the finish line. But every time I’ve listened to my heart, that small voice inside that was and is still guiding me, then I have known I was on the right path.”
He asked the graduates, “What brings you pleasure? What is going to fuel you when you have to work unbelievably hard—which you will—when you have to face fear and doubt and loneliness and failure—which you will? What lights you up? What is burning inside of you?”
Kristin Davis at the University of Colorado Boulder
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Kristin Davis returned to her hometown of Boulder, Colo., to speak at the University of Colorado Boulder's 150th graduation ceremony. Although she moved around as a child and attended Rutgers University in New Jersey, Davis' father was a psychology professor at CU Boulder, and her mother was an alum.
The Sex and the City actress addressed an estimated 40,000 people at Folsom Field stadium on May 2, per CU Boulder Today.
“Take this moment in,” Davis said in part. “You have formed powerful bonds through your experience here at this beautiful university at the feet of the Rocky Mountains. You have worked hard. I’m pretty sure you have played hard, as well. Know that you are ready for the next chapter.”
Davis later reflected on the occasion on Instagram and wrote that it was "the most incredible honor" to share her words of wisdom at a place that is "so meaningful" to her family.
Nancy Pelosi at Notre Dame de Namur University
Credit: Pelosi Press
Nancy Pelosi was raised in Maryland and studied at Trinity College, but she has lived and governed in San Francisco for most of her life. The Former House Speaker called for leadership while giving the commencement speech at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, Calif., on May 2.
“You must be the patriots of our time,” she said, per the San Francisco Chronicle. “That means not just holding onto the rights and freedoms that fellow Americans have fought for, but refusing to surrender the courageous spirit that inspired them.”
Pelosi continued, “America has always been a long-standing promise and an ongoing project. Decades of peace and prosperity made it tempting to believe that our democracy would be self-sustaining. In fact, it must be constantly tended to strengthen and defend it.”
Colman Domingo at Temple University
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Colman Domingo returned to his alma mater, Temple University, to deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2026 on May 6. Domingo also received an honorary degree.
The Euphoria actor was born and raised in West Philadelphia and attended Temple in the 1980s where he majored in journalism while also starting to study theater, per the school.
“I am beyond grateful and humbled to receive an honorary Doctorate from my alma mater Temple University. As a journalism student who struggled with the balance of working two jobs and supporting himself through school from 1987-1990, eventually dropping out with a good 50 credits to go, this degree is very meaningful to me,” Colman said ahead of the speech in a press release.
Conan O’Brien at Harvard University
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Another star heading back to his alma mater is Conan O'Brien, who'll be addressing the Harvard University Class of 2026 during the school's 375th Commencement on May 28.
The comedian graduated from the Ivy League school with a degree in history and literature in 1985. In addition to addressing the graduates, he will also be awarded an honorary degree.
Sarah Jessica Parker at Northwestern University
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Northwestern University selected Sarah Jessica Parker to deliver the commencement speech for the Class of 2026 at the 168th Commencement on June 14 at the United Center in Chicago.
“I’m truly honored to have been invited to serve as this year’s commencement speaker,” Parker said in a press release with Northwestern Now. “It’s a privilege to celebrate a graduating class whose years of hard work, dedication to their studies, commitment to one another, their community and the larger world deserve real recognition."
Similar to other speakers, the Sex and the City actress will receive an honorary doctorate degree from the school.
Debbie Allen at Clark Atlanta University
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Debbie Allen, who attended Howard University, was announced to give remarks for the Clark Atlanta University graduating class of 2026 on May 18 at the Georgia World Congress Center.
Prior to her speech at Clark Atlanta University, Allen has read commencement addresses at Howard, the University of North Carolina and Emerson College. She holds four honorary doctorate degrees — including from Howard and UNC.
Henry Winkler at Emerson University
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When Henry Winkler was accepted to Emerson University in 1963, the school was just one of two universities who accepted him. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Winkler had dyslexia and struggled in school as a result.
Shortly after he enrolled at Emerson, Winkler started actively pursuing acting, majoring in theater and minoring in child psychology. He has frequently spoken about how the school inspired his love of acting and encouraged him to pursue his dreams.
Winkler will speak about both his time at the university and life since at the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony on May 9 at the Wang Theatre in Boston.
“Henry perfectly embodies the extraordinary Emersonian spirit and pursuit of excellence,” President Jay Bernhardt said in a press release with Emerson Today. “His career has been a commitment to Emerson’s values of creativity, curiosity, and expression. I hope our graduates will be inspired and energized as he shares his own personal and professional journey, and I know our entire community will be heartened by his example.”
Queen Latifah at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
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Queen Latifah is the keynote speaker for the North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University commencement ceremony on May 9 at First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.
The Grammy award winner previously spoke at the graduation ceremonies for Strayer University and Rutgers; at the latter, she also received an honorary doctorate.
Hoda Kotb at Fordham University
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Although Hoda Kotb was raised and attended college in Virginia, she has called New York City home through her decades-long career with NBC and the Today show.
One of the Big Apple's largest universities, Fordham University, chose Kotb to deliver the 2026 commencement speech on Edwards Parade in the Bronx on May 16. Prior to her remarks at Fordham, Kotb spoke at the 2016 Tulane University ceremony.
“It’s an honor to be asked to speak at Fordham’s commencement ceremony,” Kotb said in a statement shared with Fordham Now. “As someone who believes in the power of perseverance and new beginnings, I’m excited to be part of an event that celebrates hard work, optimism, and the joy that the future can bring. I can’t wait to personally congratulate the Class of 2026 on all they have achieved.”
Eric Church at the University of North Carolina
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Eric Church is returning to his native North Carolina to deliver the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's 2026 commencement speech in Kenan Stadium on May 9.
The "Springsteen" singer attended Appalachian State University but has been a lifelong UNC fan who has long cheered on the sports teams.
"I can’t really remember a time when my identity wasn’t being a North Carolina fan,” Church told UNC-Chapel Hill. “I didn’t know a lot about myself at 7 or 8, but I knew I was a Tar Heel. That’s the way I was raised. My dad would even introduce us as Tar Heels. I knew I wasn’t Wolfpack, and I wasn’t a Blue Devil. I was a Tar Heel. My entire life has been built around being a Tar Heel.”
Ray Lewis at North Carolina Central University
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Ray Lewis will address the graduates from North Carolina Central University's College of Health and Sciences, School of Business and School of Education, on May 9.
The Pro Hall of Fame linebacker played college football at the University of Miami and went on to play 17 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens — which included two Super Bowl wins.
Misty Copeland at Wake Forest University
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Misty Copeland was selected as the Wake Forest University commencement speaker for their May 18 ceremony. The renowned ballet dancer, who spent much of her life with the American Ballet Theatre, is also a New York Times best-selling author and philanthropist.
“Misty Copeland’s trailblazing career is a masterclass in purposeful excellence,” Wake Forest President Susan R. Wente told Wake Forest News. “Not only did she ascend to the pinnacle of her field, she widened the path for everyone behind her. By refusing to rest on her exceptional talent, Misty has made the world of dance stronger, more inclusive, and infinitely more beautiful for the next generation of performers.”
James Patterson at the University of Wisconsin, Madison
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James Patterson, who was raised and attended college in New York, will deliver the University of Wisconsin-Madison commencement speech on May 9 at Camp Randall Stadium.
The more-than-100-time New York Times bestselling author may have not attended the University of Wisconsin, but his wife, Susan Patterson, is an alum, and the couple have donated more than $240 million to "literacy-focused programs and endowed some 5,000 college scholarships for teachers," per UW News.
"I don’t want to lecture about how students should live their lives," he told the outlet ahead of his speech. "Just keep asking, 'Is this a beautiful thing or just a shiny object?' "
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