Taylor Swift is giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at her big night out. The pop superstar posted a series of photographs on Instagram on October 20, reflecting on her performance at the Academy Museum Gala — and her reunion with her Toy Story 5 castmates, according to IANS reports.
Swift performed at the sixth annual gala in Los Angeles on October 17, marking her first time performing with her band in nearly two years. “A night at the museum I’ll never forget! Thank you to the @academymuseum for inviting us! Getting to perform with the band again for the first time in almost 2 years was a VIBE. And I got to sit with my @toystory 5 family,” she wrote in the caption.
A fairy-tale night
The 36-year-old wore a flowing ice-blue gown for the red carpet before changing into a sparkling dark-blue dress for her performance. She sang several songs during the gala, including “Blank Space,” “Love Story,” “The Fate of Ophelia” and “I Knew It, I Knew You” — the original song she wrote for Toy Story 5 with longtime collaborator Jack Antonoff, inspired by Jessie’s journey in the upcoming Pixar film.
Comedian Conan O’Brien introduced her performance, joking: “It’s an insane, unprecedented honor to introduce a cherished member of our little ‘Toy Story 5’ family. She’s John, Paul, George, and Ringo all in one.”
Her Toy Story 5 family
Swift’s involvement in the animated film extends beyond the gala appearance — she wrote and performed the new song for the movie, and her Instagram photos captured warm moments with members of the voice cast. The gala, which reportedly raised $14 million for the museum, honored Charlize Theron with the Icon Award and Colman Domingo with the Vantage Award.
See how the night unfolded in our coverage of how Swift, Kardashian and Jenner shone at the 2026 Academy Museum Gala.
First performance in nearly two years
The gala marked Swift’s first time performing with her band in almost two years, making the night a milestone for fans as well. Her set mixed beloved classics with the new Toy Story 5 song, bridging her pop past and her expanding work in film music.
The Instagram post drew millions of likes within hours, with fans flooding the comments to celebrate the reunion — both with her band and with her “Toy Story 5 family.” For a star who rarely shares behind-the-scenes moments, the carousel was a gift to the Swifties.
