WILMINGTON — The North Carolina Azalea Festival has announced that acclaimed actress Elaine Hendrix will serve as the 2026 Queen Azalea, returning to Wilmington in one of the Festival’s most celebrated traditions. Hendrix will be officially crowned on April 8 at 3 p.m. aboard the Battleship North Carolina, marking the ceremonial start of the Festival’s 79th year.
Hendrix is widely recognized for her memorable roles in The Parent Trap, Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion, and Superstar, along with appearances in major franchises such as Get Smart, Inspector Gadget, The Munsters, and Resident Evil. Television audiences know her as Alexis Carrington from the reboot of Dynasty, and from guest roles on Friends, Two and a Half Men, and Criminal Minds. She recently reunited with Lindsay Lohan in Freakier Friday and was a finalist on the latest season of Dancing with the Stars.
Beyond the screen, Hendrix has built a diverse creative career that includes stage performances in Hello, Dolly!, A Streetcar Named Desire, and Steel Magnolias. She co-produced the Off-Broadway production Ginger Twinsies and authored the wellness book Don’t Worry, Eat Happy. She is also known for her advocacy work supporting animal rights, LGBTQ+ equality, women’s rights, and environmental causes.
Her upcoming schedule includes joining the Dancing with the Stars Tour from March through May, followed by an appearance at the first-ever Dancing with the Stars Con, set for July 31–August 2.
As Queen Azalea, Hendrix will participate in many of the Festival’s signature events, including the Celebrity Reception, Airlie Garden Party, Bluewater After Garden Get Down, Queen’s Dance Party, the annual Parade, and appearances at the Street Fair Performing Arts Stage. Festival organizers say her presence will help create memorable moments for attendees throughout the week.
A Tennessee native now living in Atlanta, Hendrix shares her home with six rescue animals, who she jokingly says “run the household.”
The public is invited to meet the new Queen at the Queen’s Coronation on April 8 at 3 p.m. aboard the Battleship North Carolina. The 79th North Carolina Azalea Festival runs April 8–12, 2026.
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