Anne Hathaway
SHE MAY ONLY BE 27, BUT HOLLYWOOD IS ALREADY ANNE HATHAWAY’S OYSTER, SAYS BRET LOVE
PHOTO BY NICOLAS SAMARTIS/CONTOURPHOTOS.COM
BORN IN NEW YORK and raised in New Jersey, Anne Hathaway dreamed of being a star since she was a young girl. Fortunately, The Princess Diaries made her a household name at the age of 19, and subsequent roles in films such as Brokeback Mountain, The Devil Wears Prada and Rachel Getting Married have proven her capable of tackling any role Hollywood throws her way. She hasn’t had a new movie since January of 2009 (when Bride Wars was released), but is likely to have back-to-back hits with this month’s ensemble comedy Valentine’s Day and next month’s family-friendly Alice In Wonderland.
When you were growing up, who were the actresses you admired?
Julia Roberts. Pretty Woman was my Princess Diaries; I used to watch it every day. Katharine Hepburn has always been one of my favorites, and Jessica Lange and Sigourney Weaver. There are a lot.
What has surprised you most about your career so far?
I’m genuinely surprised that I keep getting asked back.
Why is that?
Well, because I’m an actor, so I’m horrifically insecure. (Laughs). All of this has been a surprise! When I was 14 years old and dreaming of being an actress in New Jersey, I didn’t know this was how it was done. I didn’t know this was possible. My idea of being an actor was understudying the lead in a Broadway show, having student loans, living with five other dancers and waitressing on the side. That was my understanding of what an actress was and, for a lot of people, that’s what being an actress is. So I’m existing in a stratosphere that I find very surprising. You became famous when you were just 19 years old. What keeps you grounded? Gravity. (Laughs) I’d like to think part of it is just me not being a [jerk]. But I have to give my family credit. I come from salt-of-the-earth people. Their lives haven’t changed since their daughter, or niece, or cousin became a well-known actress, and they still go about their own routines. I want to be a source of surprise for them, not a source of shame. So that’s a big part of it. But I’m still just 27, so mistakes can still happen.
You have three films slated for a release this year, including two big movies in the next two months. Is there any fear that you might become over-exposed?
I don’t know. I’m a middle class girl from New Jersey who stared at the lights of Manhattan and dreamed about being on Broadway. I would go up on these hilltops and look out to see the city lights — this was before Manhattan became an outdoor mall — and I had this idea that I was gonna be this fantastic bohemian surrounded by all these fabulous gay friends. So it doesn’t occur to me yet that I have the right to become over-saturated. I feel like I’m lucky to work, and I don’t know if Rachel Getting Married was the start of a new phase in my life, whether it will change or spoil me in any way. But I do know that there are interesting filmmakers out there who are making movies in an interesting way, and I don’t like to speculate on the future in any way… especially when it comes to turning down work! (Laughs)
How does the reality of your life now compare to those dreams you had when you looked out over New York City?
I thought if I could just sing on Broadway, I’d be a success, and I’ve actually gotten to do that. But I didn’t know that movie premieres in 3,000-seat theaters existed, and I didn’t imagine I’d get to tell all these great stories. It’s cool, because right now it feels like I’m getting back to the basics of the dream, which was to tell good stories. That’s what I wanted as a young girl, even if I didn’t think about it in those terms. Now that my terms are clearly defined, it’s like, OK, now I can begin.
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