Names and faces
■ Viola Davis has another prestigious honor to add to her growing list of accolades. The actress — who has won Emmy, Golden Globe, Oscar and Tony awards — has been named Woman of the Year by Harvard University’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals. On Friday, the group, which has been doling out the honor since 1951, recognizing people in entertainment, announced that Davis will be feted at the April 22 online ceremony, where she will be presented her ceremonial pudding pot. “Viola has inspired our company with her incredible grit and determination, and we cannot wait to celebrate her successes, strong character and wonderful talent,” Hasty Pudding Award president Jessica Moore said in a statement. Because of the pandemic, Hasty Pudding’s traditional parade through the streets of Cambridge, Mass., will not take place. The 30-minute Zoom webinar will include a celebratory roast, a moderated discussion and a speech from Davis. On March 15, Davis became the Academy Awards’ most nominated Black female actor ever when she landed her fourth nomination for her lead role in Netflix’s “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.” The Julliard School-trained thespian is in good company with the Hasty Pudding honor; previous winners include fellow Academy Award winners Meryl Streep, Katharine Hepburn, Halle Berry and Helen Mirren.
■ Jimmy Kimmel and YouTube personality and engineer Mark Rober will host an online fundraiser to benefit people with autism. The three-hour event, “Color The Spectrum: A Livestream To Support The Autism Community,” will be held April 30 on Rober’s YouTube channel. Maya Rudolph, Adam Sandler, Chris Rock and Mark Hamill are among the celebrities set to take part, according to an announcement Friday by Rober, who has a son on the autism spectrum, and ABC late-night host Kimmel. Kimmel and his staff are producing the special along with comedian-writer Robert Smigel, the voice behind Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, and his wife, Michelle Smigel. Their son’s autism brought home the unmet needs of those with the disorder. The Smigels’ “Night of Too Many Stars” biannual TV benefit, topped by Jon Stewart, helps support NEXT for Autism, a nonprofit that works with medical centers and other institutions to develop innovative programs for people with autism. The YouTube event will include musical performances, comedy skits, and “science stunts,” a release said, with viewers able to connect with the host and guest stars, including Stewart, Andy Samberg, Sarah Silverman, Conan O’Brien, Jack Black, John Oliver and YouTube personality Marques Brownlee.