Hannah Waddingham to Receive Crystal Award for Advocacy in TV at WIF Honors

Women In Film (WIF) announced that Emmy Award-winner Hannah Waddingham (Apple TV's Ted Lasso) will be honored at the 2026 WIF Honors with the Crystal Award for Advocacy in TV on Thursday, November 5, at The Beverly Hilton. The Crystal Award for Advocacy in TV recognizes individuals whose success has created greater opportunities for women in entertainment, both on and off-screen.

Waddingham joins a dynamic cohort of 2026 WIF Honorees, which includes:

• Vanguard Award: Pamela Abdy presented to her by Nancy Meyers
• WIF Max Mara Face of the Future Award: Adria Arjona presented to her by Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti
• The Crystal Award for Advocacy in Film: Gemma Chan (in absentia) and Beth de Araújo for their collaboration on Josephine presented by Emmy Rossum
• The Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award: Salma Hayek Pinault presented to her by Jane Fonda

Waddingham is an Emmy Award-winning television, film, and theatre actress and singer. She has garnered Emmy, Critics Choice, and HCA Awards, as well as Golden Globe and SAG nominations for her role as 'Rebecca' on the Apple TV comedy Ted Lasso. Her recent film and television credits include Ride or Die, The Woman in Cabin 10, Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Lilo & Stitch, Smurfs, The Fall Guy, Krapopolis, Sex Education, and Game of Thrones. A celebrated West End star, she has received multiple Olivier Award nominations for her acclaimed performances across musical theater.

'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, 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.'

Additionally, Emmy Rossum (Hulu's Furious) will join the program and present Beth de Araújo and Gemma Chan (in absentia) with the Crystal Award for Advocacy in Film for their collaboration on Josephine, the U.S. Grand Jury Prize-winning film out of Sundance.

An award-nominated actress, director, producer, and singer, Rossum's career spans film, television, and music. She is best known for her Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Phantom of the Opera and her acclaimed portrayal of Fiona Gallagher on Showtime's Shameless. Most recently, she stars in and executive produces Hulu's critically acclaimed crime thriller FURIOUS under her production company, Composition 8. Beyond acting, Rossum has directed episodes of Shameless, Animal Kingdom, and Modern Love.

Rossum joins Nancy Meyers, presenting the Vanguard Award; Maria Giulia Prezioso Maramotti, presenting the WIF Max Mara Face of the Future Award; and Jane Fonda, presenting her namesake Humanitarian Award.

The 2026 WIF Honors will emphasize the power of expansive storytelling to ignite change, spark dialogue, drive economic growth, and reimagine what's possible when the people in front of and behind the camera truly reflect the world's population.

The benefit gala is co-chaired by Victoria Alonso and Andrea Nelson Meigs. Alongside the pair, the WIF Honors Committee is comprised of WIF Board of Directors President Syrinthia Studer and WIF Board of Directors members Tara Duncan, Ivette Rodriguez, Rachel Rusch, and Jurnee Smollett. WIF Honors is presented by Max Mara with additional support from Amazon MGM Studios, Apple TV, Delta Air Lines, Netflix, STARZ #TakeTheLead, and Warner Bros. Pictures.

The event is WIF's largest fundraiser of the year, directly funding the organization's advocacy, research, and career programs. Tickets and tables are on sale now at WIF.org/Honors.

About WIF and the Awards

Founded in 1973 as Women in Film, WIF has championed gender equity in the screen industries for more than 50 years through strategic advocacy campaigns, career development programs, and industry-leading research. WIF drives meaningful change in the screen industries by building pathways for emerging talent across various disciplines, sustaining careers at every level, and dismantling systemic bias. The organization's initiatives have supported thousands of professionals across film, television, and streaming, creating lasting impact both in front of and behind the camera. Membership is open to everyone. Kirsten Schaffer is WIF's Chief Executive Officer and Syrinthia Studer is the President of the Board of Directors. Learn more at WIF.org.

Since 1977, WIF has annually honored outstanding women in the entertainment industry who have broken ground and excelled in their chosen fields. Outstanding individuals who have been honored in past WIF awards programs include Lucille Ball, Halle Berry, Cate Blanchett, Glenn Close, Viola Davis, Ava DuVernay, Nora Ephron, Jane Fonda, Audrey Hepburn, Nicole Kidman, Donna Langley, Jennifer Lopez, Marlee Matlin, Mira Nair, Shonda Rhimes, Meryl Streep, Zendaya, and many more iconic women. View the WIF Awards Retrospective here.

The Crystal Award for Advocacy celebrates those who, through their success, are creating increased opportunities for the advancement of women working throughout the screen industries: in front of and behind the camera. Established in 1977 to honor outstanding individuals who, through their endurance and the excellence of their work, have helped to expand the role of women within the entertainment industry.

The Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award honors women who have used their prominent entertainment industry profiles to effect radical change and shed light on issues using their powerful voices. Previously named the Norma Zarky Humanitarian Award, it was renamed for honoree Jane Fonda in 2021, in recognition of her fearlessness in speaking out and inspiring generations of activists. Jane Fonda presents this award each year at WIF Honors.

The WIF Max Mara Face of the Future Award is presented to an actress who is experiencing a turning point in her career through her work in the film and television industries, through her contributions to the community at large, in recognition of her outstanding achievements, and her embodiment of style and grace. Past recipients include Maude Apatow, Joey King, Yara Shahidi, Lili Reinhart, Zazie Beetz, Gemma Chan, Elizabeth Debicki, Alexandra Shipp, Zoey Deutch, Natalie Dormer, Kate Mara, Rose Byrne, Hailee Steinfeld, Chloë Grace Moretz, Katie Holmes, Zoë Saldana, Elizabeth Banks, Ginnifer Goodwin, Emily Blunt, and Maria Bello.

Vanguard Award is a new addition to WIF Honors, created to recognize a leader whose career embodies the qualities that move the entire industry forward — not just influence, but the courage to use it. It honors someone who has risen through the ranks by force of perseverance, who takes creative risks that pay off commercially and critically, and who treats the advancement of women in entertainment as central to leadership, not peripheral to it.