Anne Hathaway named Disney Legend

Anne Hathaway is officially a Disney Legend!

The Oscar winner was officially inducted into Disney’s hall of fame on Sunday afternoon during D23, the company’s weekend-long fan event.

Joining Anne on the list of Disney Legends 2026 are former Disney CEO Bob Iger, Dwayne Johnson, the Jonas Brothers, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alan Tudyk, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, sportscaster Chris Berman, animator Eric Goldberg, Imagineer Kim Irvine and stage and voice actress Susan Egan.

Hathaway took the stage to roaring applause after being introduced by Vogue editor Anna Wintour and “The Devil Wears Prada” director David Frankel. She opened her speech by expressing immense gratitude, stating that she considers herself one of the luckiest people alive.

“I am here today because I’m one of the most insanely lucky people in the world,” she said.

“How lucky am I that I was born into a family where acting, storytelling and imagination were valued and celebrated,” she said, pointing out her parents in the audience.

Hathaway’s husband Adam Shulman and their two sons, Jonathan and Jack joined her.

This milestone arrives exactly 25 years after Hathaway’s feature film debut as Mia Thermopolis in Disney’s “The Princess Diaries,” which originally premiered on August 3, 2001. Her Disney legend continued with “The Devil Wears Prada,” that released in 2004 where she played Andy Sachs, assistant to the boss from hell at the glossy fashion magazine, Runway.

Also read: Working with Christopher Nolan like homecoming: Anne Hathaway

Hathaway reprised her role as Andy role earlier this year in “The Devil Wears Prada 2,” which grossed more than $690 million worldwide, bringing the franchise total above the $1 billion mark.

Hathaway’s list of gratitude included the late Garry Marshall, who cast her as the future Genovian royalty. She also gave credit to producers Debra Martin Chase and the late Whitney Houston for their pivotal roles in the film, which was originally developed under the title “The Princess of Tribeca.”

“How lucky am I that my first studio picture ever starred perhaps the greatest Disney Legend of all time, the incomparable Julie Andrews,” Hathaway said. “I learned so much from her when I was just 17.”

Hathaway said that film became her first Disney classic and Andrews’ 27th.

“I’m so lucky that my first booking led to so many opportunities when I was still so young, [like] getting a job that a million girls were built for in ‘The Devil Wears Prada,’” Hathaway continued. “I got to be with Stanley Tucci. I got to be with Emily Blunt. I got to be with um…oh what’s her name,” she said, pretending to forget Meryl Streep’s name.

“I’ve gotten to spend my life so far, doing what I love, having so many adventures along the way, knowing joy and valuing the extraordinarily good fortune that allows me to share my life with my greatest blessing—a family I couldn’t love more.”

Frankel presented Hathaway with the honour, telling the crowd how the studio originally wanted another actress for the role. “Thank God for Meryl Streep,” Frankel said. “She saw Annie’s performance in ‘Brokeback Mountain’ and said, ‘Yeah, this girl.’ Game recognises game.”

Wintour appeared via video to pay tribute to the star. “Over the years, I’ve gotten to know Anne as an ideal front row companion, as well as a perfect theatre date,” Wintour said. “There is so much to admire about Anne: her work ethic, her talent, her versatility, but most of all, it’s her kindness that is so impressive.”