Inside the Star-Studded Texas Film Awards Honoring Texas Film Icons and 25 Years of ‘Spy Kids’
Austin Film Society honors Julian Schnabel, Sonny Carl Davis, Sydney Chandler and the cast and creators of ‘Spy Kids’ at Troublemaker Studios
The Texas film community gathered Thursday, March 5 at Troublemaker Studios for the 2026 Texas Film Awards, the Austin Film Society’s annual fundraiser celebrating artists and filmmakers who have shaped the state’s creative legacy. This year’s honorees included painter and filmmaker Julian Schnabel, actor Sydney Chandler and veteran character actor Sonny Carl Davis. The evening also marked the 25th anniversary of Robert Rodriguez’s family adventure film “Spy Kids.”
One of the night’s most personal moments came when actor Kyle Chandler presented the Rising Star Award to his daughter, Sydney Chandler. The Austin native and St. Edward’s University graduate spoke about how their shared profession has strengthened their relationship.
“It’s given me one of the best gifts,” she said. “A language and a connection between my dad and I that we had not had before.”
A “Spy Kids” reunion
Rodriguez, producer Elizabeth Avellán and stars Daryl Sabara and Alexa PenaVega took the stage to accept the honor for “Spy Kids,” the 2001 adventure filmed in Austin at Troublemaker Studios. The film launched a successful franchise and helped demonstrate that large-scale studio productions could be made in Texas.
Sabara, who played young spy Juni Cortez, joked that the film also shaped his personal life. “I met my wife at a house party when she said, ‘Yo, Spy Kids,’” Sabara said, referring to singer Meghan Trainor. “I turned around and it was love at first sight.”
Rodriguez and Avellán also reflected on the film’s cultural impact, particularly its portrayal of a Mexican American family at the center of a major studio production — something Rodriguez said initially raised questions from studio executives.
“They asked, ‘Why are they Latin and not American?’” Rodriguez said. “I told them, ‘Well, they are American.’”
Texas film icons
Davis was honored for a career spanning more than five decades. The Austin-based character actor, a fixture of the Texas film scene with roles in films including “Bernie,” “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” and “Melvin & Howard,” received the award from filmmaker Richard Linklater and producer Mike Blizzard. Linklater praised Davis as “one of the guys making Austin weird,” calling him “the most authentic character I’d ever seen on the screen.”
Before presenting Schnabel with the Texas Film Hall of Fame honor, Linklater introduced a prerecorded message from actor Benicio del Toro, who starred in Schnabel’s 1996 film “Basquiat,” congratulating the filmmaker. Born in Brownsville, Texas, Schnabel first rose to prominence as a painter before establishing a celebrated film career that includes “Before Night Falls” and “At Eternity’s Gate.”
Supporting Texas filmmaking
The evening began with a dinner and silent auction that raised more than $580,000 to support Austin Film Society programs, including filmmaker grants, education initiatives and the AFS Cinema.
Festivities concluded with a nightcap and DJ set by Joshy Soul inside Iron City, a sprawling set built on the studio backlot for Rodriguez’s 2019 film “Alita: Battle Angel.”
Founded in 2001 by Louis Black and Evan Smith, the Texas Film Hall of Fame recognizes artists who have made significant contributions to the state’s film and creative media industries. Now in its 25th year, the Texas Film Awards is the Austin Film Society’s largest annual fundraiser.
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