CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) 鈥� Cynthia Erivo, who is starring in the hit musical 鈥淲icked,鈥� was named Tuesday as the 2025 Woman of the Year by Harvard University鈥檚 Hasty Pudding Theatricals.
The theater group, which dates to 1844 and claims to be the world鈥檚 third-oldest still operating, said Erivo will receive her Pudding Pot award at a celebratory roast Feb. 5. Afterward, she will attend a performance of Hasty Pudding Theatricals鈥� 176th production, 鈥�101 Damnations.鈥� Actor Jon Hamm, who came to fame starring as ad executive Don Draper on the AMC series 鈥淢ad Men,鈥� is the 2025 Man of the Year. He will receive his Pudding Pot Jan. 31.
鈥淲e are holding space for Cynthia Erivo鈥檚 arrival,鈥� Man and Woman of the Year Events Coordinator Hannah Frazer said in a statement. 鈥淲e鈥檙e sweeping out our broomstick closets and prepping some wicked smart humor as we eagerly await her in February. Before she flies off with her Pudding Pot, she鈥檒l have to work a little magic to earn it.鈥�
Along with starring in the smash hit musical, the British entertainer is a two-time Oscar nominee and an Emmy Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award winner.
Erivo burst onto the scene with her brilliant performance in the Broadway revival of winning her the 2016 Tony for best actress in a musical. She performed songs from the play on the 鈥淭oday鈥� show, earning the Daytime Emmy for outstanding music performance in a daytime program. And the show鈥檚 soundtrack won best musical theater album at the 2017 Grammys.
Last year, Erivo starred in and produced 鈥淒rift,鈥� which follows a young Liberian refugee who has escaped her war-torn country to a Greek island. In 2021, Erivo was nominated for an Emmy for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in the National Geographic series
Every year since 1951, the Pudding has bestowed its Woman of the Year award on actors including Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson and Annette Bening.
The Associated Press
