MA-Born Jennifer Coolidge Named Hasty Pudding Woman Of The Year

NORWELL, MA — Norwell native-turned-Hollywood icon Jennifer Coolidge is set to be honored in Harvard Square next month as the recipient of The Hasty Pudding Theatricals' Woman of the Year Award, Harvard University announced in The Harvard Gazette Tuesday.

"[For Coolidge's] iconic performances in 'The White Lotus,' 'The Watcher,' 'Legally Blonde,' and 'American Pie' among countless others, the Pudding is proud to celebrate a truly unique and impactful presence in the world of entertainment," the university wrote.

The Hasty Pudding Theatricals is the oldest theatrical organization in the United States and has named a Woman of the Year annually since 1951 to "performers who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment," according to the university. Previous recipients include Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johansson, Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, and most recently Jennifer Garner.

The festivities will begin 1:45 p.m. on Feb. 4, when Coolidge will lead a parade through the streets of Harvard Square, the university wrote. At 7 p.m., the Hasty Pudding Theatricals will host a celebratory roast for Coolidge, after which she will be presented with her Pudding Pot at Farkas Hall.

“We are so excited to welcome Jennifer Coolidge back to her hometown and to Harvard, the iconic setting of ‘Legally Blonde.’ Her glittering personality and comedic presence are so Pudding,” Man and Woman of the Year coordinator Maya Dubin said, according to the Gazette. “We know she’ll fit right into the Pudding’s musical spectacular, though she’ll still have to earn her Pudding Pot onstage.”

According to a biography provided by IMDb, Coolidge was born on Aug. 28, 1961 in Boston. She attended Norwell High School and then earned her bachelor's degree in theatre from Emerson College before spreading her wings in New York City and Los Angeles.

Coolidge won her first Primetime Emmy in 2022 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie for her role as Tanya in 'The White Lotus.'