It’s easy enough for me to say that “Anne Hathaway should care less.” I imagine it’s quite different for her, because she does genuinely care about so much – she cares about how she’s perceived, she cares about the negativity that comes her way, and she cares about a lot of stuff beyond her own personal interests too – she’s always been political and charitable, it’s not something that she’s just doing now for her image. Anne was also one of those bullied celebrities who really went away and reassessed and came back, then tried to handle everything differently. She’s 36 years old now and she’s still figuring it out – how to handle the celebrity world, mostly.
Anne covers this week’s issue of People Magazine to promote Serenity. I’ve read some of the spoiler-y reviews and the film sounds absolutely bonkers. Once again, Anne is getting a lot of criticism, or rather the bad/weird reviews seem to be affecting her the most. So I don’t hate that she’s on the cover of People, talking about anxiety and criticism and all of that. Some highlights:
Handling the Hollywood scene: “I did everything so wrong for so long.” Hathaway adds that though her career was flourishing, she suffered from “feelings of inadequacy, insecurity and nervousness and anxiety.”
The awards season a decade ago: “I’m not big on looking back. But I remember 10 years ago being so scared going into the whole awards season and doing what I thought I was supposed to do, so I barely ate anything at Christmas…I thought movie stars had to have a certain body. I was just smoking, just smoking my nerves away and wasn’t nourishing myself.”
What she figured out: “I just figured out how to say thank you to life by taking care of myself. By not apologizing for taking up space, which is not something I knew how to do 10 years ago. It’s been a journey. I don’t look that different, but I just feel like the inside has transformed so much.
On her critics: “Everybody’s entitled to their opinion. What I appreciate is when the negativity has some intelligence behind it. What I don’t like is lazy negativity. If you’re going to take someone down, have a point of view! Be witty, maybe pun a little!”
The reference to an awards season a decade ago was when she was nominated across the board for Rachel Getting Married, I think. That was an excellent, career-changing performance and she deserved all of the nominations she got that year. I don’t remember her seeming that nervous, but maybe that’s because it didn’t feel like she was ever the frontrunner (she was not that year). It was totally different when she was up for awards for Les Miserables, and she was the frontrunner and that’s when the negativity, bullying and “Hathahate” really flourished. Anyway, she sounds like she’s in a better place, but like she still has to set up a lot of rules for herself about how she engages with everything.
PS… She looks SO MUCH like Liv Tyler in these photos, I’ve never seen that connection before.
Cover courtesy of People, additional photos courtesy of WENN.
I like her. She’s an overeager drama nerd with a big heart and a need to please / need for approval and it annoys me that people bullied her for that. There are so many a-holes in Hollywood and THIS is who is earning your hatred?? Okay peeps 🙄👌🏼 (PS: this is a general population “your” not a specific Celebitchy readers “your”).
Your description of her is so on point ! I have to admit I did fall into the Hathahate hole back then a little? Now I can’t even articulate what rubbed me the wrong way back then but I am so happy to have changed too 🙂
These days I’ll take earnestness over everything else Hollywood any day!
I like her too, for those very reasons. I can totally relate. She seems genuine, and I’ve consistently enjoyed her performances.
Yes – she was a bit annoying around that time, but so what? Considering what other people in the industry do, why hate on someone who’s crime is being too eager or caring too much?
I say, keep up the new vibe, Anne.
I’ve noticed that this site has recently changed the tone of Anne’s coverage. Of course it was never the bullying and outright hate, but it certainly was quite snarky and condescending. You know longer refer to her as Anne with an E or really give her a hard time about when she campaigned for an Oscar. I always thought that the criticism was undeserved and am glad she is being shown in a more positive uplifting light.
I think the past year or so has required us all to learn some harsh lessons. Frankly these days any celebrity that isn’t sexually harassing, abusing, outright raping, and/or destroying women’s careers, is A-OK in my book. My bar is now incredibly low.
Anne is good, she always was. I wish her well.
It hasn’t been a recent change – Anne was completely annoying/extra with her Les Mis Oscar campaign and we called her out on it. But I’ve always been a fan of her work, and I’ve been positive about her for years.
You’re right, Kat. It certainly has been interesting to see. I think as a whole people have been coming around to Anne, which is nice to see. I just love her.
Anne is and has always been great.
Agreed. I think she is fearless on camera and I’ve loved many of her roles. Plus, she is truly gorgeous.
She is excellent in Oceans 8. I would watch it again just to see her pleased response when told her lipstick makes her look like Barbie “in a good way.”
If you ever get the chance to, watch her in Rachel Getting Married. She put on a master class in acting. Her scenes with Rosamund Pike and Debra Winger were electric. It’s also a good movie too (a Jonathan Demme movie no less).
She was also good in Brokeback Mountain.
Google the YouTube video of Anne singing wrecking ball on Lip Sync battle. It will give you an entirely new impression of her.
I always thought she had the most giant stick up her arse so it caught me by surprise.
Okay, I went and watched it. It’s great and I can’t believe she was able to flawlessly jump on that wrecking ball, etc. but it’s also so… extra. I felt bad for Emily Blunt (in a way – I have never watched that show so I don’t know if that is par for the course). Nonetheless, I’m glad I saw it. She really can deliver a performance. Thanks.
Also, I think it’s cool that she is just going for it promoting the film despite some naysayers.
Oh, it’s extra. If you have time check out other episodes , Channing Tatum as Beyoncé and his wife at the time did his magic Mike dance. The show is extra but it gives you a glimpse of personalities you don’t see in interviews.
I feel her on the taking up space thing! Anne and I are nearly the same age… in the past few years I am finally GLAD about and feel deserving of the space I take in this world.
My four year old son pointed out to me that my butt is bigger than daddy’s, because my son and daddy both fit their skinny butts in my son’s reading chair, whereas my butt takes up more space so my son still sits on my lap to read.
I know a few years ago, and especially 10+ years ago, this would have upset me and made me feel too big etc etc. But you know what? I was basically like “damn straight this big- ass body that carried you and your baby sister into this world is bigger than your shorter, smaller, male father’s body!” Hahah not in that language, but I had no problem owning it and telling my son yes I AM bigger than daddy (taller and larger) and that’s just fine. It felt great to model self acceptance for him, and have it come from a true place. I love my big body and yes it needs some space on this earth, like Anne said it deserves space and I won’t feel bad about that ever again.
Yep. Im 34 and the way I view myself and the world had changed so much in the past 10 years since my mid twenties. And that’s what this interview reminds me of. She sounds like someone who struggled especially hard with insecurity (in her industry, no surprise) and has just grown into herself the way a lot of women do at this age. I like it and I root for her.
I’ve heard a few women talking about the “ok to take up space” thing and it’s so true! And it’s not just a physical thing.
My sister and I talk about how women are not supposed to take up space. We are both tall and women are supposed diet ourselves away to nothing. Men can take up as much space as they please.
Right? And then they spread their legs and take up even more space.
Manspreading!
Maybe I’m one of the only ones who feels this way about her, but I find her so refreshing in a world of plastic, fake try-hards that seem to cover Hollywood and celeb culture these days. She’s someone I could see myself being friends with. I enjoy following her career and wish her well.
I like her a lot, always have. She got a lot of grief for nothing.
I’ve always loved her. I would add that she’s marvelous as young Jane Austen in Becoming Jane. Highly recommend. And the scenes with James McEvoy as Tom L are electric.