One of the greatest and most mystifying arts of performance is magic and illusion. Some talented magicians rise to fame and show off their mystical talent. Every year, the Academy of Magic Arts, also known as the Magic Castle, awards one magician the highest award in magic, “The Magician of the Year.” In May 2025, the award was given to iconic close-up magician Mat Franco his accomplishments. The 2026 Magician of the Year Awards are expected to be held in May, and as the date approaches, many are wondering who the contenders will be. While candidates have not been officially announced, there are a handful of magicians who have risen to prominence in recent years with their talent, making them possible contenders for the award.
Kimoon Do
Kimoon Do is known for reinventing difficult card tricks into an engaging and humorous routine. With his sleight of hand, he is a strong contender for the award. On the CW television show, “Penn & Teller: Fool Us,” Do captured the attention of the crowd by performing a trick that used a card with an arrow to distract the viewers. Using his sleight of hand and the distraction of the arrow card, Do was able to pick out all of the spade cards from a deck while mesmerizing the audience. Penn & Teller were stumped as to how Do executed the trick, leading them to award him the Fool Us trophy, an award given to those who manage to trick the hosts. Do also recently placed third in card magic at the International Federation of Magic Societies (FISM) in Italy, further demonstrating his talent. Between his recent achievements and undeniable talent, Kimoon Do certainly has the potential for Magician of the Year.
Lea Kyle
Lea Kyle is not just a quick-change artist. She is a magician. She changes clothes in the blink of an eye. Penn Jillette, the main judge of Fool Us stated to Kyle that he and Teller know how all quick changes are done, but what her act is so magical that they view it as less of a quick-change act and more of a magic act. Kyle fooled Penn & Teller, finished in the top five of America’s Got Talent in 2021 and won the General Magic Award in FISM Italy in 2025. Kyle is a talented magician who performs original and mind-blowing acts, making her a perfect candidate for Magician of the Year.
Francesco Della Bona
One of the most difficult types of magic is pure sleight-of-hand manipulation. Francesco Della Bona is an extremely talented card manipulator, but the way he does it sets him apart from others in his field. He participated in FISM Italy in 2025 and won first place in manipulation. When he was on “Fool Us,” Jillette said to Della Bona, “You took a card manipulation act and made it abstract.” Della Bona’s talent and artistic style certainly put him in the running for the award.
Although it is not known who is officially in the running for Magician of the Year in 2026, there are a handful of talented magicians who appear to be strong candidates. Do misdirects his audience with added card mechanics, Kyle turns quick-changes into real magic and Della Bona puts a twist on card manipulation. Between their unique performances and recent success in FISM, they undoubtedly have the potential to win Magician of the Ye
