Jamie Lee Curtis, Arnold Schwarzenegger to join California’s Hall of Fame
The California Hall of Fame’s newest class will be inducted on Thursday, March 19. The celebration of “the very best of California” will be against the backdrop of allegations of sexual assault against one of its first inductees, Cesar Chavez.
The New York Times published an investigation Wednesday morning, sharing the stories of multiple women who said Chavez sexually assaulted them when they were teenagers participating in the labor rights movement, and he was in his 40s.
The Hall of Fame was started in 2006 by one of this year’s inductees, former Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Also getting nods this year is actor Jamie Lee Curtis, chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, along with athletes, politicians and America’s first all-women mariachi ensemble.
The California Museum, Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom announced the 19th class of the hall of fame on Tuesday, March 3.
“These honorees remind us that innovation and courage flourish when people are lifted up by those around them,” Newsom said in the announcement.
The California Hall of Fame recognizes history-making Californians “who embody the state’s spirit of innovation and have changed the state, the nation, and the world.”
The inductees will be honored in a ceremony at the California Museum at 1020 O St. in Sacramento on Thursday, March 19.
Who are the California Hall of Fame inductees?
John Burton: Burton served in both houses of the California Legislature as well as in Congress. He also was chair of the Democratic Party in California. He died in 2025.
Jamie Lee Curtis: An Academy Award winner, Curtis has a five-decade Hollywood career. She also has won an Emmy and Golden Globes Award.
Riane Eisler: A pioneering systems scientist, Eisler is the author of the international bestseller “The Chalice and the Blade.”
Janet Evans: Evans, an Olympic swimmer, won four individual gold medals. She now serves as chief athlete officer for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
Carl Lewis: Lewis “dominated sprinting and long jump events in the ‘80s and ‘90s, amassing nine gold medals across four Olympic Games,” the release said.
Mariachi Reyna de Los Ángeles: The first all-female mariachi ensemble in the United States, the group has “transformed the sound, look, and cultural imagination of the musical tradition” for more than three decades.
Nobuyuki Matsuhisa: Known simply as “Nobu,” the influential chef’s Nobu and Matsuhisa restaurants now span five continents with 40 locations worldwide.
Terry McMillan: The acclaimed author of “Waiting to Exhale,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back” and other bestsellers.
Arnold Schwarzenegger: A champion weightlifter, movie star and former governor, Schwarzenegger is also a successful businessman, environmentalist, philanthropist and bestselling author.
This story was originally published March 19, 2026 at 12:37 PM with the headline "Jamie Lee Curtis, Arnold Schwarzenegger to join California’s Hall of Fame."