Marion Cotillard Named 2013 Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year

UPDATED: January 16, 2012, at 8:54 p.m.

French actress Marion Cotillard has been named the recipient of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals 2013 Woman of the Year award.

Cotillard received critical acclaim for starring as Édith Piaf in “La Vie en Rose,” a role that earned her an Academy Award for best actress and made her the first person to win an Oscar for a French language performance in 2007. She also garnered rave reviews for her 2010 performance as Mallorie Cobb in “Inception” alongside Leonardo DiCaprio.

Renee E. Rober ’13, president of the Pudding, lauded Cotillard's qualifications after the selection was announced on Wednesday.

“We all have a French exam that we're a little nervous about, so we thought we'd pick somebody who can tutor us,” Rober joked. “But in all seriousness, she is wildly talented—she can sing, act, dance, speak both English and French.… Nobody is more excited about that than I am.”

Tyler B. Faux ’13, the Pudding's publicity manager, also expressed enthusiasm for the pick in an emailed statement.

“As an internationally accomplished actress and singer with a brilliant career heralded by critics and mainstream audiences alike, Marion Cotillard has entranced the Pudding with her multitude of talents and an unbridled commitment to her art,” Faux wrote.

In the annual Woman of the Year celebration to be held on Jan. 31, Cotillard will be honored with a parade through Cambridge, after which she will be roasted by the Pudding and presented with a traditional Pudding Pot. Tickets for the event can be purchased on the Pudding's website.

With Wednesday's announcement, Cotillard joins the elite company of past honorees—including Claire Danes, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Julia Roberts, Jodie Foster, and Jane Fonda—who have won the award since it was established in 1951.

The Pudding’s 2013 Man of the Year award will be announced next week, to be followed by an event honoring the male awardee on Feb. 8.

—Staff writer Laya Anasu can be reached at layaanasu@college.harvard.edu.

Twitter and Facebook posts circulating this article have been revised to reflect the following correction:

CORRECTION: Jan. 16

Due to an editing error, earlier versions of posts circulating this article on Twitter and Facebook incorrectly referred to the organization honoring Cotillard as the Hasting Pudding. In fact, the group is called the Hasty Pudding Theatricals.