Elizabeth Olsen dedicates Variety’s Power of Women speech to her charity hero

Elizabeth Olsen volunteers at Stuart House, a charity which helps sexually abused children.

Elizabeth Olsen praised her hero, charity pioneer Gail Abarbanel, when she was honoured at Variety’s Power of Women event.

The Marvel actress was among a host of famous women feted at this year’s event, which took place on Wednesday in Los Angeles.

After being introduced on stage by her WandaVision co-star Kathryn Hahn, 33-year-old Elizabeth spoke passionately about her involvement with Stuart House, a charity which helps sexually abused children and was founded by The Rape Foundation‘s Gail.

“When I learned about tonight, I asked Gail if there is anything that she would like to do next with the foundation, because in my mind she’s already thought of everything. She said, ‘Yes, to stop sexual abuse on the internet,'” she said. “To me, that sounded very, very big and maybe impossible. But if you were to ask her what she wanted to create in 1974, I think that would have also sounded just as big and impossible.”

The screen star went on to talk about what it’s like volunteering with the foundation.

“I don’t say this lightly, but the kids who come to Stuart House really love coming… There’s a boy who is five who’s been with us for the last three months and he started coming early just because he wants to play with our magnetic tiles,” she shared. “Ultimately he’s having a positive association with the people and the place where he is receiving treatment – treatment that will ultimately be life-saving for his future. And his future is one of many that Gail has helped transform.”

Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay and activist Malala Yousafzai were also honoured at the event, though Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, who made the 2022 list, was noticeably absent following the death of Queen Elizabeth II – her husband Prince Harry’s grandmother – on 8 September.

—Reuters