Bryce Dallas Howard has been named the 2019 Woman of the Year by Hasty Pudding.
The actress, director and producer will be honored during the annual celebration on Thursday afternoon, which features a parade through Cambridge, a performance of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ production of “France France Revolution” as well as the celebratory roast of the Woman of the Year honoree. Howard is the latest star to be honored by the group, which paid tribute to fellow actress Mila Kunis during the 2018 celebration.
Bryce Dallas Howard named Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year 2019
Hasty Pudding Theatricals, the nation’s oldest theatrical, has come under fire in recent years over their long-standing tradition of only allowing male cast members to perform in their productions. However, that all changed when Hasty Pudding president Amira Weeks announced during last year’s celebration that 2019 would be the first year that women would finally be allowed to join the cast.
Hasty Pudding’s Woman of the Year Award is over six decades old, with several notable winners such as Ella Fitzgerald, Meryl Streep, Whoopi Goldberg, Julia Roberts, Amy Poehler, Kerry Washington, Octavia Spencer, in addition to Kunis and Howard. The award is bestowed upon “performers who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.” Howard’s acceptance of this award speaks, not only to her acting skills, but also her “her efforts to forge new pathways for female artists and creatives in Hollywood,” Mariana Sanchez-Medina, the Pudding’s co-producer, said in a release.
According to Hasty, they are excited to “honor an accomplished actress who has given such a wide range of critically acclaimed performances, and is committed to expanding the role of women in every aspect of storytelling.” In the past, Howard starred in films such as “Jurassic World,” “The Help” and “Hereafter.” Here recent work includes lending her voice to Bella in “A Dog’s Way Home” and she’s also set to star in “Rocketman,” a biopic about musical legend Elton John.
The Woman of the Year festivities will begin at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31, 2019, with a parade through Cambridge with Howard. Afterwards, the celebratory roast for Howard will begin at 4 p.m., where she’ll be presented with her Pudding Pot at Farkas Hall in Harvard Square. A press conference will follow the presentation at 4:30 p.m. Finally, Hasty Pudding Theatricals will preview their production of “France France Revolution,” a historic first production featuring a cast comprised of both men and women.
