TL;DR — the direct answer: Hrithik Roshan attended the 2026 LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles on 7 November, reportedly the first Indian actor ever invited to the event. Photos of him with Nicole Kidman and Dune director Denis Villeneuve — who is directing the next James Bond film — went viral, and fans are now calling for Roshan to be cast as 007.
What happened: Roshan attended the 15th annual LACMA Art + Film Gala at the museum in Los Angeles on Saturday 7 November, and his appearance was widely reported as the first time an Indian actor has attended the event. He was hosted at the gala by Indian-origin producer and entrepreneur Kavita Gupta, and photographs of him posing with Nicole Kidman and with Villeneuve spread quickly online. Fans picked up on the Bond connection immediately: with Villeneuve directing the next 007 film, many said Roshan should be cast as James Bond. Villeneuve himself added to the speculation in his acceptance speech, jokingly teasing the identity of the next Bond before stopping himself from revealing the name. The gala also drew Hollywood names including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Timothée Chalamet, Andrew Garfield, Anya Taylor-Joy, Michelle Yeoh and Ashley Park, as well as Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and BLACKPINK's Rosé.
Why it's trending: The story has travelled because it sits at the intersection of two things the internet loves: a first, and a casting debate. Roshan being the first Indian actor at one of Hollywood's most exclusive nights is a milestone that Indian media and fans have celebrated widely, and the photographs did the rest — he was pictured alongside Kidman and Villeneuve, and the Bond connection wrote itself. Villeneuve, who is officially directing the 26th Bond film for Amazon MGM Studios, teased the next 007's identity in his acceptance speech and then stopped short of naming the actor, which is exactly the kind of near-reveal that sends speculation into overdrive. The gala's guest list helped too: DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Chalamet, Kidman, Kim Kardashian and BLACKPINK's Rosé were all in the same room, so the night dominated entertainment feeds on both sides of the world.
Background / context: The LACMA Art + Film Gala is one of the biggest nights on the Los Angeles cultural calendar, a fundraiser for the museum's film programming that brings together Hollywood, art and fashion. This year's edition was co-chaired by Oscar winner Leonardo DiCaprio and LACMA trustee Eva Chow, and the honourees were filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and artist Vija Celmins. Villeneuve is the director of Dune and Dune: Part Two, and he is officially set to direct the next — 26th — James Bond film for Amazon MGM Studios. That job is why every word he says about 007 is dissected: the casting of the next Bond is the most speculated-over decision in Hollywood, and Villeneuve's tease at the gala was the first time he had addressed it in public since taking the job.
What we know / what's unconfirmed: Confirmed: Roshan attended the gala on 7 November, the event's co-chairs and honourees, Villeneuve's Bond tease, and the viral photographs. The claim that he is the first Indian actor at the gala is widely reported but rests on reporting rather than an official LACMA statement, so it is presented here as reported. Nothing has been confirmed about the next Bond's casting — Villeneuve named nobody, and any suggestion that Roshan is in the running is fan speculation, not a report. No Hollywood project for Roshan has been announced.
What happens next: Nothing has been announced about the next Bond's casting, and Villeneuve's tease gives no timetable — the announcement could come at any point in the months ahead. Roshan's gala appearance is already being treated in India as a milestone moment, and whether it leads to a Hollywood project of his own is the next question fans are asking.
Q: Who is Hrithik Roshan?
A: A Bollywood star known for films including Kaho Naa... Pyaar Hai, War and the Krrish series. His appearance at the LACMA gala in Los Angeles was widely reported as the first by an Indian actor.
Q: What is the LACMA Art + Film Gala?
A: An annual fundraising event for the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, supporting its film programming. The 2026 edition, the 15th, was held on 7 November and co-chaired by Leonardo DiCaprio and Eva Chow.
Q: Did Denis Villeneuve reveal the next James Bond?
A: No. He jokingly teased the casting in his acceptance speech, then stopped himself from naming anyone. The identity of the next 007 remains unannounced.
Q: Who else attended the gala?
A: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hanks, Timothée Chalamet, Nicole Kidman, Andrew Garfield, Anya Taylor-Joy, Michelle Yeoh, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and BLACKPINK's Rosé, among others.
Sources: Business Today — Bollywood meets Hollywood: Hrithik Roshan debuts at LACMA Art + Film Gala and Filmibeat — Entertainment news live, 9 November 2026.
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