The Princess Diaries star was honoured as part of Disney’s 2026 Legends class, reflecting on the opportunities that shaped her Hollywood career.
Anne Hathaway has reached a major milestone in her Hollywood career after being officially named a Disney Legend at D23 in Anaheim, California.
The actor was inducted into Disney’s 2026 Legends class during a ceremony on Sunday, August 16, where she became emotional while reflecting on the opportunities that helped shape her career.
Hathaway was introduced by The Devil Wears Prada director David Frankel and Vogue editor Anna Wintour before receiving the prestigious honour. During her speech, the actor described herself as one of the luckiest people in the world and credited her family for encouraging her passion for acting, storytelling and imagination.
Her connection with Disney began with The Princess Diaries, which was released in 2001 and marked Hathaway’s major breakthrough as Mia Thermopolis. She was just 17 when she appeared in the film, directed by the late Garry Marshall and produced by Debra Martin Chase and the late Whitney Houston.
Hathaway specifically reflected on her experience working with Julie Andrews, who played Queen Clarisse Renaldi. She described Andrews as an extraordinary influence and recalled learning valuable lessons from the veteran actor during production.
Her Disney legacy also includes The Devil Wears Prada, in which Hathaway portrayed Andy Sachs alongside Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt. The 2006 comedy-drama became one of Hathaway’s most recognisable films and continued to gain popularity over the years.
In 2026, Hathaway returned as Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada 2, reuniting with Streep, Blunt and Stanley Tucci. According to Variety, the sequel has helped push the franchise beyond $1 billion worldwide.
Hathaway also appeared at D23 earlier in the weekend to discuss The Princess Diaries 3. The upcoming film will continue Mia’s story, with Hathaway returning for the third instalment and Adele Lim directing.
The 2026 Disney Legends class also includes former Disney CEO Bob Iger, Dwayne Johnson, the Jonas Brothers, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Alan Tudyk, Jerry Bruckheimer, Chris Berman, Eric Goldberg, Kim Irvine and Susan Egan.
Hathaway is also enjoying a particularly busy 2026, with appearances in The Odyssey, Mother Mary, The End of Oak Street and The Devil Wears Prada 2. Her upcoming thriller Verity, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, is scheduled to arrive on October 2.