Kerry Washington is Hasty Pudding’s Woman of the Year

Scandal star Kerry Washington has been chosen as The Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 2016 Woman of the Year. Washington will receive the honor during a special ceremony on January 28th that kicks off with a parade through the streets of Cambridge followed by a “celebratory roast.” Following the roast, Washington will be presented with her Pudding Pot at Farkas Hall in Harvard Square.

“We are so excited to honor Kerry Washington as the Hasty Pudding Theatricals Woman of the Year and welcome her to Cambridge to celebrate her many achievements. Kerry is an amazing actress with many fans in the company, and the perfect choice for this honor… But we also feel a bit nervous as we set out to coordinate a perfect event for legendary PR whiz Olivia Pope!” said Kennedy Edmonds ’17, HPT168 Producer.

“If Kerry is anything like her on-screen character, she may turn the tables on us during her roast!” added Bobby Fitzpatrick ’16, President of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals.

Previous honorees include Meryl Streep, Katharine Hepburn, Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, Elizabeth Taylor, Anne Hathaway, Claire Danes, Dame Helen Mirren, and Amy Poehler. Per The Hasty Pudding Theatricals’, the Woman of the Year Award “is the Hasty Pudding Theatricals oldest honor, bestowed annually on performers who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.”

Washington has been nominated for Golden Globe, Emmy, and SAG awards, and Time magazine included her on its 100 Most Influential People in the World list in 2014. She’s also been honored with the GLAAD Media Vanguard Award and the ACLU Bill of Rights Award.