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Just For Laughs Sets 2026 New Faces Lineup
Just For Laughs has revealed its 2026 New Faces lineup, selecting 47 comedians and creators across its stand-up, characters, creators and writers programmes. The showcase, launched in 1994, is a well-established launchpad for emerging comedic talent and has previously helped propel the careers of stars including Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer and Ali Wong, giving this year's selections significant industry attention.
Among the 30 stand-up acts are Englishman Red Richardson and German-American comic Mario Adrion, both previously highlighted by Deadline. The New Faces showcases run from 22 to 25 July as part of the festival's ComedyPRO programming, within the wider Montreal festival taking place from 15 to 26 July. SMOSH returns as partner for the Creators strand for a second year, while Michael Showalter and Jordana Mollick's Semi-Formal Productions joins as a new partner for the Writers programme.
In short
- JFL names 47 New Faces across stand-up, characters, creators and writers for 2026
- Showcase runs 22-25 July during Montreal's comedy festival
- SMOSH and Semi-Formal Productions partner on creators and writers strands
Explained simply
Just For Laughs is an annual comedy festival held in Montreal each July. The event brings together diverse comedy acts, sketch performers and improvisers from around the world, alongside industry conferences and professional networking opportunities.
Within the festival sits a dedicated showcase called New Faces, which has operated since 1994 to promote emerging comedians and creators. Previous participants selected for the programme include Kevin Hart, Amy Schumer and Ali Wong, all of whom went on to achieve major success in entertainment.
The New Faces programme is regarded as a significant opportunity within the comedy industry because of its proven track record in launching successful careers. Industry professionals, studios and networks attend specifically to scout new talent, making selection to the showcase highly competitive and career-defining for emerging performers.
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