Rose Byrne spent a morning at Harvard getting publicly teased by undergraduates in the best possible way. The Australian actor was honored as the Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 2026 Woman of the Year — a tradition that trades reverence for comedy, which meant a parade down Mass Avenue followed by a roast that didn't hold back.
The Pudding's president Daisy Nussbaum and cast vice president Isabel Wilson took turns poking holes in Byrne's filmography with the kind of affectionate ribbing that only works when everyone's in on the joke. They needled her about box office numbers, her Oscar-less streak, and generally made sure she couldn't take herself too seriously. But the roast also landed genuine praise for her range as an actor — the kind of thing that gets lost when you're known primarily for making people laugh in "Bridesmaids" or "Neighbors."
The highlight involved Byrne reading a melodramatic scene opposite an undergraduate dressed as a rabbit — a playful nod to the dramatic work she's been getting recognized for lately. The ceremony wrapped with the Pudding's traditional mock marriage, complete with a pudding pot as the prize.
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Start Your News DetoxWhen the microphone turned to Byrne for questions, she talked about her recent film "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You," where she played Linda. She described it as a creative peak and spoke about the film's modest budget with genuine pride, calling it "fearless and sort of radical." She also explained that she approaches comedic and dramatic roles with the same preparation — no switching gears, just rigor either way.
The whole absurdist morning might actually serve her well. Byrne's heading to Broadway for a revival of "Fallen Angels," and she joked that getting roasted by Harvard undergraduates was basically rehearsal for live theater.
If I Had Legs I'd Kick You - Drama, 2025
