The Hasty Pudding Institute (HPI) of 1770 announced that esteemed actors, producers, and philanthropists Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance will be the 2025 recipients of the Order of the Golden Sphinx (OGS). The power couple, known for their extraordinary contributions to the performing arts, will be honored at the award ceremony on March 2 at Harvard's historic Farkas Hall.

The OGS is the highest honor bestowed by HPI and recognizes individuals in the entertainment industry for their lasting impact and legacy. Making its triumphant return after the last award ceremony in 2019, Bassett and Vance join a long list of esteemed past recipients, including Clive Davis, David Heyman, Daryl Roth, and Paris Barclay.

Bassett's list of previous awards and industry recognition is substantial, having received an Emmy, 16 NAACP Image Awards, 2 Golden Globe Awards, Black Girls Rock! Icon Award, Glamour's Women of the Year Award, Critics Choice Award, SAG Award, Variety Creative Impact Acting Award, and an Honorary Oscar. This actress, director, and executive producer is known for her captivating performances in iconic films such as Malcolm X, Waiting To Exhale, and Black Panther. She was also nominated for a Directors Guild of America Award for her directorial debut of the Whitney Houston biopic Whitney. Bassett was recently named a Disney Legend for her countless contributions to the brand's vast legacy of movies, television, and theme parks.

Vance's powerful presence from the stage to the screen has earned him 2 Emmys, a Tony, a Critics Choice Award, a Black Reel TV Award, and multiple NAACP Image Awards. Vance's debut as Spc. Abraham 'Doc' Johnson in Hamburger Hill launched a prolific cinematic career that includes noteworthy films such as The Hunt for Red October, The Preacher's Wife, and The Adventures of Huck Finn. Vance's book, The Invisible Ache: Black Men Identifying Their Pain and Reclaiming Their Power, with Dr. Robin L. Smith and award-winning journalist Charisse Jones, earned him the Author of the Year Award at the National Book Club Conference in 2024. He is also Chairman and President of the SAG-AFTRA Foundation and was announced as part of the 2025 class of notables for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Together, Bassett and Vance founded Bassett Vance Productions in partnership with 20th Television to amplify the voices of diverse creators whose thought-provoking stories spark dialogue and foster community. Their previous projects include One Thousand Years Of Slavery (Smithsonian Channel) and Heist 88 (Showtime). The film received 3 NAACP Image Award nominations, winning 1 for Outstanding Writing.

For more information on purchasing tickets, visit the Hasty Pudding Theatricals box office (tickets@hastypudding.org). The OGS award celebration will feature performances by the undergraduates of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals and the Harvard Krokodiloes, as well as a special Q&A session with the honorees.