Anne Hathaway Inducted as a Disney Legend at D23, 25 Years After Her Princess Diaries Debut
Anne Hathaway was officially inducted as a Disney Legend on Sunday afternoon, 16 August 2026, during the closing ceremony of D23 — Disney's weekend-long fan event held in Anaheim, California. The honour lands exactly 25 years after her big-screen debut as Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries, which opened in theatres on 3 August 2001 (Variety).
David Frankel, director of The Devil Wears Prada, presented Hathaway with the award in person. Vogue editor Anna Wintour — widely seen as the real-world inspiration for Meryl Streep's Miranda Priestly in that film — paid tribute via a video message rather than appearing on stage (Variety).
In her acceptance speech, Hathaway thanked the producers who launched her career: the late Garry Marshall, Debra Martin Chase, and the late Whitney Houston, all of whom produced The Princess Diaries (Variety). Houston's involvement as a producer on the 2001 film remains a detail many fans discover only in retrospect.
The ceremony, hosted by Ryan Seacrest, capped the final day of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026, presented by Visa (D23.com). Disney first announced the full class of 2026 honorees back in March (Disney's official newsroom).
Hathaway was one of eleven inductees. The class also included Disney chief executive Bob Iger, Dwayne Johnson, the Jonas Brothers, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Jerry Bruckheimer, Alan Tudyk, Chris Berman, Eric Goldberg, Kim Irvine, and Susan Egan (ABC News).
For Hathaway, the Sunday ceremony was her second trip to Anaheim that weekend. She had made a surprise appearance at the Disney Entertainment Showcase on Friday night (Variety).
For fans, the induction carries a particular resonance. The Disney Legend award — the company's highest honour, recognising individuals who have shaped Disney's legacy across film, television, theme parks, and beyond — places Hathaway alongside the producers, executives, and performers who built the studio she entered as a teenager. Twenty-five years on from a pratfall on a Genovian parade float, that is the arc the award celebrates.
