HARVARD GAZETTE ARCHIVES

Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts To Receive Pudding Pots

Actress Julia Roberts and actor Mel Gibson are the Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 1997 Woman and Man of the Year.

On Thursday, Feb. 13, Roberts will lead a parade through the streets of Harvard Square at 2 p.m. and will receive the "Pudding Pot" at 2:30 p.m. in the Hasty Pudding Theatre. Me and My Galaxy will be previewed at 2:45 p.m.

On Tuesday, Feb. 18, Gibson will receive his "Pudding Pot" at 8 p.m., prior to the start of the opening night performance of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 149th production, Me and My Galaxy.

The Woman and Man of the Year awards are presented annually by the nation's oldest undergraduate dramatic organization to performers who have made a "lasting and impressive contribution to the world of entertainment."

Established in 1951, the "Woman of the Year" award has been presented to many talented and distinguished entertainers including Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Meryl Streep, Sally Field, Glenn Close, Jodie Foster, Meg Ryan, and Susan Sarandon. The "Man of the Year" award was established in 1963 and has been given to such Hollywood notables as Paul Newman, Robert Redford, James Cagney, Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams, Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, and Harrison Ford.

Julia Roberts has starred in many of Hollywood's most successful films, earning her two Academy Award nominations for her work in Steel Magnolias and Pretty Woman (the top-grossing film of 1990). Roberts began her career with a critically acclaimed role in Mystic Pizza. Her other film credits include Flatliners, Sleeping With The Enemy, Dying Young, Hook, The Pelican Brief, and Something to Talk About. Roberts can be seen most recently in Neil Jordan's Michael Collins, and Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You. Roberts's upcoming films include the romantic comedy My Best Friend's Wedding, and the Richard Donner-directed thriller Conspiracy Theory, co-starring Mel Gibson.

Mel Gibson has had a distinguished and diverse career. His rise to stardom began with the Mad Max Trilogy, which brought him worldwide recognition. Gibson is widely known for his work in the Lethal Weapon film series. He also starred in Zeffirelli's Hamlet, which was the first film to be produced by Gibson's production company, Icon Productions. Icon has also produced, with Gibson starring, Forever Young, Maverick, and The Man Without A Face, in which he made his directorial debut. In 1995 Gibson produced, directed, and starred in Braveheart, which won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director. His other film credits include The Year of Living Dangerously, Tequila Sunrise, Bird on a Wire, The Bounty, and Ransom. Gibson is currently in production on Conspiracy Theory.

To buy tickets for Me and My Galaxy, which runs Feb. 19 to March 18, call 495-5205.