CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) 鈥 Award-winning actor, writer and bestselling author Bob Odenkirk, perhaps best known as shady lawyer Saul Goodman on 鈥淏reaking Bad" and 鈥淏etter Call Saul,鈥 was named 2023 Man of the Year by Harvard University鈥檚 Hasty Pudding Theatricals on Thursday.
Odenkirk is scheduled to receive his Pudding Pot award at a celebratory roast Feb. 2, after which he will attend a preview of Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 174th production, 鈥淐OSMIC RELIEF!," the group announced.
鈥淲hen choosing our 2023 Man of the Year, I immediately knew we better call Bob Odenkirk,鈥 producer Aidan Golub said in a statement. 鈥淲e鈥檙e cooking up a lot of surprises to celebrate Mr. Odenkirk鈥檚 contributions to the world of comedy both in front of and behind the camera.鈥
Hasty Pudding Theatricals, which dates to 1844 and calls itself the third-oldest theater group in the world, has handed out a Man of the Year Award since 1967. Last year's recipient was Jason Bateman, and previous honorees include Bob Hope, Dustin Hoffman and Sean Connery.
The awards are given out to people who have made lasting and impressive contributions to the world of entertainment.
Odenkirk reprised the role of Saul Goodman, aka Jimmy McGill, in 鈥淏etter Call Saul," which earned him three Critics Choice TV awards and multiple Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award nominations.
He is also the star and executive producer of 鈥淟ucky Hank,鈥 adapted from the novel 鈥淪traight Man" by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Richard Russo, which is scheduled to premier on AMC and AMC+ on March 19.
Some of his other acting credits include 鈥淣obody,鈥 鈥淢r. Show with Bob and David鈥 and 鈥淕irlfriend's Day.鈥
He received two Emmy Awards for his comedic writing for 鈥淪aturday Night Live鈥 in 1989 and for 鈥淭he Ben Stiller Show鈥 in 1993.
In 2013 Odenkirk co-wrote The New York Times bestseller 鈥淗ollywood Said No!,鈥 a collection of unproduced screenplays, and his third book released in March 2022, a memoir entitled 鈥淐omedy Comedy Comedy Drama,鈥 went to No. 2 on The New York Times bestseller list.
Hasty Pudding Theatricals' Woman of the Year Award, which dates to 1951, has not yet been announced.
