Disney’s dazzling Legends ceremony brought a parade of A-listers to Anaheim’s Honda Center on Sunday evening during the conclusion of the Mouse House’s D23 Expo.

Disney’s Legends awards program is a hall of fame for individuals who have had a substantial influence on the Disney legacy. Past honorees include Christina Aguilera, Stan Lee, Betty White, and Oprah Winfrey.

Angela Bassett was recognized for three decades of work with Disney, including her role in Touchstone’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” narration of National Geographic’s The Flood and the Disney+ docuseries “The Imagineering Story,” and, most recently, her Oscar-nominated performance as Queen Ramonda in “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.”

“Black Panther” director Ryan Coogler shared how Bassett’s work inspired him as a child when he introduced her. “To see her and what she does is truly a gift,” he said, telling the audience how she guided the cast after the loss of lead actor Chadwick Boseman. “She’s incredible. She’s been incredible for decades.”

Bassett said, “From the beginning of my acting career, I've understood that I'm part of something bigger than myself. I want to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey.” She added, “I am forever proud to be your wife, your mother, your sister, and your auntie .”

“Titanic” director James Cameron was also recognized for his work on the “Avatar” film series, for which he’s currently in post-production for the third installment, with a planned fourth and fifth in pre-production. He’s also behind several documentaries made in partnership with National Geographic, including the Emmy-winning “Secrets of the Whales” and Emmy-nominated “Secrets of the Elephants.” He also executive produced the OceanXplorers series, due in fall 2024 from National Geographic.

“Titanic” star Kate Winslet appeared via video message, saying, “Dearest Jim, you continue to reach new heights, that I’m not sure if anyone else but you will ever achieve. Your imaginative power continues to inspire all of us.” She introduced “Avatar” actor Zoe Saldana, who presented Cameron with his award.

“I express my gratitude for providing me with the most valuable gift a director can offer an actor: job security. By the time the final ‘Avatar’ film hits theaters, I’ll be eligible for retirement,” Saldana remarked with a chuckle. “Collaborating with you has been an exhilarating journey. Your passion, unwavering dedication, and meticulous attention to detail are truly unparalleled. But beyond these qualities, I thank you for bringing laughter, tears, and moments of profound contemplation to my life.”

“As a storyteller who uses film as a medium of expression, it’s not a solitary endeavor. You’re only as effective as the artists you can assemble around you,” Cameron stated in his address. “I understand that my daily responsibility is to empower and encourage these artists, whether they’re actors, designers, concept artists, or computer animators, to inspire them to bring their best artistic selves to the forefront every single day. That’s my mission.”

Cameron also took a moment to honor his producing partner Jon Landau, who passed away last month. “There’s one person who stands out in my mind at this moment as I’m standing here, and that’s my producing partner of 30 years, John Landau. All of us in the ‘Avatar’ family deeply miss him. We make it our mission to carry on his legacy as the unsung Disney Legend himself.”

The night’s host Ryan Seacrest presented the Disney Legend award to his longtime co-host, Kelly Ripa. “There is no better storyteller than Kelly Ripa,” he said. “She is the best at what she does to make people feel at ease”

Ripa began her career as an actor on the soap opera “All My Children” and the sitcom “Hope & Faith.” She’s most recognized for her work on morning television as the co-host of ABC’s “Live,” which she’s been a part of since 2001.

Ripa playfully teased her friend Seacrest, “Ryan, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I’m just so happy we finally found something else for you to host.” She went on to express gratitude to her “smoking hot” husband Mark Conseulos with some risqué jokes, adding, “We met on the set of ‘All My Children’ 30 years ago, and from there, we created our own three children right backstage in Disney labs. I’m kidding! We made them in our dressing rooms. I’m kidding again. I’m kidding again — HR has asked me to remind everyone.”

Bassett, Cameron, and Ripa were joined by other Disney Legend honorees, including Jamie Lee Curtis , James L. Brooks, Harrison Ford, Frank Oz, John Williams, Miley Cyrus, costume designer Colleen Atwood, Disney Parks cast member Martha Blanding, the late Marvel comic artist Steve Ditko, animator Mark Henn, and imagineer Joe Rohde.

Other highlights of the event included Lindsay Lohan and Jodie Foster’s introduction of Curtis, Cyrus’ heartfelt tribute to “Hannah Montana” and Ford’s moving acceptance speech .