Meet the 2026 Jimmy Awards Winners: Jake James and Samia Posadas Reflect on Their Big Wins
Fresh off earning the Jimmy Awards’ top acting honors, the rising stars discuss their winning performances and unforgettable experience on Broadway
What to Know
- Samia Posadas and Jake James won the top acting prizes at the 2026 Jimmy Awards at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre
- Posadas, who won Arizona's Monte Awards for her portrayal of Alice Murphy in Bright Star, reflected on the challenges and emotional depth of the role that helped propel her to victory
- James, a Shuler Hensley Awards winner for his performance as Jacob in Water for Elephants, shared how performing alongside the nation's most talented high school theater students was the most inspiring part of his experience
The winners of the 17th annual Jimmy Awards, celebrating outstanding high school student achievement in acting, singing and dance, were crowned on June 22 at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre. The Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress was presented to Samia Posadas, while Best Performance by an Actor went to Jake James. Fresh off their respective wins, the pair sat down with Broadway.com Editor-in-Chief Paul Wontorek.
Posadas' Jimmy Awards title follows her regional win at The Monte Awards in Tuscon, Arizona, for playing Alice Murphy in Bright Star. The role is quite mature, but Posadas was more than up to the task. “It was one of the most challenging things I’ve ever had to do or perform, especially because her story is so rich and parts of it I can’t necessarily relate to in my own life,” she told Wontorek. “Of course, certain aspects and certain emotions and certain scenarios—I think having the privilege of telling her story and the whole song ‘If You Knew My Story’—everyone can relate to that. It's like, ‘You have no idea what I've been through,’ and I think that's always really important.”
James earned his spot at the Jimmys after winning the regional Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards – Shuler Hensley Awards in Atlanta for his performance as Jacob in Water for Elephants. Aside from winning, he shared that the best part of his time in New York was getting to experience the Jimmys in their entirety. “Watching all of the other nominees perform their songs and watching them shine, because everyone on that stage is right here with each other, it’s crazy how talented everyone is," James said. "Being able to be inspired by them and take things from their performances was just amazing.”
Watch the full interview with Posadas and James below!