Anne Hathaway is giving us iconic interview after interview in her press tour for new romance film The Idea Of You. Dropping quotes ranging from discussing astrology, to internet misogyny, to the female orgasm, she truly is a walking embodiment of the culture right now. And the most impressive part is, I don’t think she’s even trying.
The Idea of You is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Robinne Lee, and follows the unconventional romance between a 40-year-old single mum named Soléne and the lead singer of a very One Direction-coded boy band, 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine). And, of course, the backlash and fallout that comes with such a controversial pairing. Something Hathaway might find relatable.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Hathaway discussed the hatred and “humiliation” she faced online in her younger years — and how it almost cost her a career, if it weren’t for Christopher Nolan casting her in Interstellar a decade ago.
“A lot of people wouldn’t give me roles because they were so concerned about how toxic my identity had become online,” she said.
“I had an angel in Christopher Nolan, who did not care about that and gave me one of the most beautiful roles I’ve had in one of the best films that I’ve been a part of.
“I don’t know if he knew that he was backing me at the time, but it had that effect.”
As a member of Gen Z, I think I’m a little too young to remember much about “Hathahate”, AKA the time when Anne Hathaway faced deep vitriol and hatred from internet trolls and magazines. I first saw her in Ella Enchanted, Princess Diaries and The Devil Wears Prada, but I wasn’t online yet — and by the time I was, she had a firm hold on my heart.
However, since then, I’ve seen her be fat-shamed, slammed as fake or high maintenance, and even called a “diva” while she was literally drowning. Yes, I am being serious.
In an interview with Variety, Hathaway spoke about how being cast in The Idea of You is special for a multitude of reasons, one being that she gets to play a character who is older and still sexy, desirable and enjoys her pleasure — a bit of a full circle moment because when she first entered Hollywood, she was apparently told she had no sex appeal.
“The male gaze was very dominant and very pervasive and very juvenile,” she said.
At the time, she said her feelings to such an assessment went like this: “I’m a Scorpio. I know what I’m like on a Saturday night”.
Sex positivity and the validation of astrology in one sentence? That’s my Princess of Genovia.
In a note to Vanity Fair, Anne Hathaway also added: “It’s not like one healthy, consensual female orgasm (okay, multiple) is going to change the world, but I’m really happy to be part of a story that takes pleasure in female pleasure.”
Everything she says seems to tie back in to buzzy online conversations, but it never feels like it’s in a clickbaity, “look at me, I’m relevant” kind of way. And it’s also not chaotic like Dakota Johnson‘s press tour. She just feels… like herself.
In fact, Hathaway’s grace and impeccable media presence has earned her a new, younger fanbase on TikTok — mostly because of the way she gentle-parents paparazzi. Even more Princess of Genovia behaviour.
It seems that for a long time, Anne Hathaway has been a victim of tall poppy syndrome. But it also seems like the tide is turning as we shed our habits of hating on women for zero reason, and actually interrogate why some celebrities grate us.
But if I’ve learned anything from reading her thoughtful, funny and quite introspective interviews, it’s that despite the haters, Anne Hathaway has always been — and will continue to be — THAT girl.
