Anne Hathaway has consistently stood out in the glamorous and unpredictable world of Hollywood, she is known for her talent, versatility, and her captivating performances. She has dazzled the audience with her wide range of roles from fairy-tale princesses to complex romantic leads, but she had a magnetic screen presence in all of them.
However, beneath the glittering surface of Hathaway’s career, are stories of adversities and uncomfortable realities that are often swept under the rug in show business. The actress has been brave enough to speak about these experiences, which shaped her craft and her role as a producer.
Anne Hathaway’s Gross Hollywood Experience
Anne Hathaway has always had a dynamic on-screen chemistry with her co-stars and has managed to portray an on-screen spark with almost everyone. From playful interactions in The Princess Diaries to an intense relationship in Love & Other Drugs, the actress can really do it all.
However, to prove this talent of creating compelling and believable relationships on screen, the actress had to encounter unsettling practices in her early auditions. In an interview with V Magazine, she spoke about the demands that were laid for a chemistry test between two actors.
Back in the 2000s — and this did happen to me — it was considered normal to ask an actor to make out with other actors to test for chemistry. Which is actually the worst way to do it. I was told, ‘We have ten guys coming today and you’re cast. Aren’t you excited to make out with all of them?’
And I thought, ‘Is there something wrong with me?’ because I wasn’t excited. I thought it sounded gross. And I was so young and terribly aware of how easy it was to lose everything by being labeled ‘difficult,’ so I just pretended I was excited and got on with it.
These practices were far from thrilling for Hathaway and rightfully so. She found herself in an uncomfortable position, where she wanted to not lose the work she had, and compromise with her beliefs.
Anne Hathaway Turns The Tides in Hollywood
Instead of simply going with the flow, Hathaway decided to first dive in, and then she went on to change the system. She shaped a creative process that aligned with her values and being a producer of The Idea of You became a turning point because now she could influence how auditions and chemistry tests were conducted.
We had met a number of young men already, but I remember laughing when Nick walked in because he was so ridiculously perfect for the part. I just thought he is it. Is he gonna be able to read the lines?
Read the lines, great. Okay, can you sing? Oh, my God, he can sing. Wait and he can play the guitar? Okay, and he’s just fun to be around. He’s just charming. Like, he’s just charmed this entire room.
Even though it was on a small scale, she implemented a change and cast an actor in a much more respectable way. Hathaway and her team asked the auditioning actors to select a song they felt their character would play to entice the female lead, which was played by the Oscar-winning actress herself.
Hathaway went from a vulnerable newcomer who was subjected to outdated practices, to a producer who took creative control and decided that she would not allow someone else to have the same experiences. She not only transformed her career but contributed to a positive shift in the industry, and built a more respectful and supportive work environment.
