The Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award: Salma Hayek Pinault presented to her by Jane Fonda (Photo Courtesy)

 

Hannah Waddingham to Receive Crystal Award at 2026 Women in Film Honors, Joining Salma Hayek Pinault, Pamela Abdy and Adria Arjona

Emmy Award-winning actress Hannah Waddingham, beloved for her portrayal of Rebecca Welton in Apple TV's Ted Lasso, will receive the Crystal Award for Advocacy in TV at the 2026 WIF Honors on Thursday, November 5, at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California.

The annual celebration, presented by WIF (Women In Film), recognizes influential women whose work is reshaping Hollywood, expanding opportunities and championing greater representation both in front of and behind the camera.

Waddingham joins an impressive lineup of 2026 honorees, including Pamela Abdy, who will receive the Vanguard Award presented by filmmaker Nancy Meyers; Adria Arjona, recipient of the WIF Max Mara Face of the Future® Award, presented by Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti; and Salma Hayek Pinault, who will receive the Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award from Jane Fonda herself.

Actress and filmmaker Emmy Rossum will also participate, presenting the Crystal Award for Advocacy in Film to Beth de Araújo and Gemma Chan, who is being honored in absentia, for their collaboration on Josephine, winner of the U.S. Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival.

Hannah Waddingham's Impact Beyond Ted Lasso

The Crystal Award for Advocacy in TV celebrates artists whose professional success helps create meaningful opportunities for women throughout the entertainment industry.

Waddingham's performance in Ted Lasso earned her Emmy, Critics Choice, and Hollywood Critics Association honors, along with Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations. Her extensive career also includes Game of Thrones, Sex Education, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, The Fall Guy, Lilo & Stitch and The Woman in Cabin 10. An accomplished musical theater performer, she has received multiple Olivier Award nominations for her work on London's West End.

“Hannah Waddingham’s career reflects the spirit of the Crystal Award for Advocacy in TV, and we’re thrilled to be honoring her formidable achievements and impact,” said Kirsten Schaffer, CEO of WIF. “In ‘Ted Lasso,’ Hannah’s powerful portrayal of Rebecca Welton, a woman fighting to be taken seriously in the male-dominated world of professional sports, echoes the barriers women still face in the entertainment industry. Off-screen, Hannah uses her powerful platform to advocate for gender equality.”

Rossum, whose career includes The Phantom of the Opera and Showtime's Shameless, most recently stars in and executive produces Hulu's crime thriller FURIOUS through her production company, Composition 8. She has also directed episodes of Shameless, Animal Kingdom and Modern Love.

WIF Honors 2026: Celebrating Women Changing Hollywood

This year's WIF Honors will spotlight the power of inclusive storytelling to inspire cultural change, generate economic opportunities and create an entertainment industry that more accurately reflects the world.

The benefit gala is co-chaired by Victoria Alonso and Andrea Nelson Meigs, with a committee that includes WIF Board President Syrinthia Studer and board members Tara Duncan, Ivette Rodriguez, Rachel Rusch and Jurnee Smollett.

Presented by Max Mara, the event receives additional support from Amazon MGM Studios, Apple TV, Delta Air Lines, Netflix, STARZ #TakeTheLead and Warner Bros. Pictures.

As WIF's largest annual fundraiser, the evening supports the organization's advocacy, research, and career-development programs, helping women working across film and television advance their careers and strengthen their influence within Hollywood.

Tickets and tables for the November 5 gala are available at WIF.org/Honors.