Helen Mirren Honored as Woman of the Year

The Academy Award-winning actress was at the center of the annual Hasty Pudding parade.

Dame Helen Mirren

sporting a fluffy white hat and red lipstick, actress Helen Mirren paraded through Harvard Square this afternoon atop a white Bentley with members of Hasty Pudding Theatricals to be honored by the cross-dressing drama group as “Woman of the Year.” Mirren, best known for her Oscar-winning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen and Emmy-winning role in the Prime Suspect television series, waved and smiled to an animated crowd gathered along Massachusetts Avenue before entering Farkas Hall, where she accepted her Pudding Pot.

She joins the ranks of such previous winners Claire Danes, Scarlett Johansson, Halle Berry, Anne Hathaway, Katharine Hepburn, and Meryl Streep.

Watch a short video of Mirren here: 

&nbsp">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVjOmh8VZ5E] 

You might also like

Law School Class Day Carries On Without Michelle Wu

Striking graduate students picketed the event, which focused on student achievements and aspirations.

Chan School Speakers Praise Public Health’s ‘Extraordinarily Ambitious’ Achievements

The field “has never waited for perfect times,” says former CDC director Rochelle Walensky.

Harvard Names 2026 Centennial Medalists

Four University alumni receive the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences’ highest honor.

Most popular

Harvard Confers Five Honorary Degrees at 2026 Commencement

O’Brien joins journalists, a scholar of AI, and a Broadway star.

Ronny Chieng Tells Harvard to ‘Destroy AI’ as Graduates Cheer

The comedian and The Daily Show host gave the keynote address for Class Day 2026.

Meet Harvard’s 2026 Student Commencement Speakers

Two undergraduates and a Ph.D. candidate will address the graduating class on May 28.

Explore More From Current Issue

A dancer in a black leotard poses gracefully in a bright studio, with mirrors reflecting her movement.

A New Black Swan Musical Cranks Up the Tension

The creative team of the A.R.T.’s new show dish on adapting Darren Aronofsky’s thriller classic from screen to stage.

A colorful hummingbird hovering by vibrant flowers.

Discoveries

Short takes on cutting-edge research

Portrait of a man with white hair, wearing a black coat, arms crossed, thoughtful expression.

The Framer Who Refused to Sign the Constitution

Harvard’s Elbridge Gerry helped draft the U.S. Constitution, but worried it might create a new monarch.