Anne Hathaway reaches a huge career milestone as Disney honours her as a Legend

The actor reflected on her first Disney role and thanked Julie Andrews, Garry Marshall and Whitney Houston

Anne Hathaway has reached a major milestone in her Hollywood career after being officially named a Disney Legend at D23. The actor became part of Disney’s 2026 Legends class during a ceremony in Anaheim, California, on Sunday, August 16, where she became visibly emotional while reflecting on the opportunities that shaped her career.

Hathaway was introduced by The Devil Wears Prada director David Frankel and Vogue editor Anna Wintour before receiving the honour. In her speech, the actor described herself as one of the luckiest people in the world and credited her family for encouraging her love of acting, storytelling and imagination.

Her Disney connection began with The Princess Diaries, which was released in 2001 and marked Hathaway’s major film breakthrough as Mia Thermopolis. She was only 17 when she made the film, which was directed by the late Garry Marshall and produced by Debra Martin Chase and the late Whitney Houston.

Hathaway specifically remembered working with Julie Andrews, who played Queen Clarisse Renaldi in the film. She described Andrews as an extraordinary influence and recalled learning from her during the production.

The actor’s Disney legacy also includes The Devil Wears Prada, where she portrayed Andy Sachs alongside Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt. The 2006 film became one of Hathaway’s most recognisable projects and continued to grow in cultural popularity long after its original theatrical run.

That legacy received another boost in 2026 with The Devil Wears Prada 2. Hathaway returned as Andy Sachs for the sequel, which reunited her with Streep, Blunt and Stanley Tucci. The film has pushed the franchise past the $1bn mark worldwide, according to Variety.

Hathaway also made a surprise appearance at D23 earlier in the weekend to discuss The Princess Diaries 3. The upcoming film is expected to continue the story established by The Princess Diaries and its 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. Adele Lim is directing the third film, with Hathaway returning as Mia.

The Disney Legend ceremony also recognised several other major entertainment figures. The 2026 class 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.

For Hathaway, the honour arrives during an especially busy year. She has appeared in several major films in 2026, including Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Mother Mary, The End of Oak Street and The Devil Wears Prada 2. Her upcoming film Verity, based on Colleen Hoover’s novel, is scheduled for release on October 2.

The actor’s 2026 box office performance has also reached an unusual milestone, with her films collectively crossing $2bn worldwide. Hathaway acknowledged the scale of the year while describing the opportunity to appear in such different projects as an extraordinary piece of good fortune.