Anne Hathaway covers the latest issue of V Magazine, all to promote The Idea of You, the romance where her single-mother character is pursued by a Harry Styles-type rock star. Her character has bangs (sob) but otherwise, it seems like it was a fun role for Anne and she’s enjoying the promotion as well. She chatted with V about fashion, a potential Princess Diaries trilogy, and what it was like to work with her Idea of You costar Nicholas Galitzine. Some highlights:
She doesn’t truly identify as a fashion person. “I really don’t. I view myself more as a guest. I think it’d be an insult to someone whose education revolved around it, whose life revolves around it, who has done a full fashion cycle in multiple cities as opposed to just, like, getting invited to a show and an after-party. I think there’s a degree of stamina and schlepping involved in being a proper fashion person. I’m very grateful to be a guest. I mean, I’ve studied it, but it’s informal. I’m aware of the history. I love fashion photography. And I’ve been welcomed for a long time and been shown great kindness and generosity by people whose lives it is. But I’m an actress first.”
The Idea of You: “It is this story about a single mother fully embracing her sexuality at a time in her life and a woman’s life where, traditionally, we begin to be erased.”
Her 20-something costar Nicholas Galitzine: “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.”
The old-school chemistry tests. “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 how easy it was to lose everything by being labeled ‘difficult,’ so I just pretended I was excited and got on with it. It wasn’t a power play, no one was trying to be awful or hurt me. It was just a very different time and now we know better.”
How they did new chemistry tests: “We asked each of the actors coming in to choose a song that they felt their character would love, that they would put on to get my character to dance, and then we’d do a short little improv. I was sitting in a chair like we had come in from dinner or a walk or something, we pressed play, and we just started dancing together.” What band did Nick pick? “The Alabama Shakes. And it was just easy. I heard [the lead singer of Alabama Shake’s] Brittany’s voice and I just started smiling. And he saw me smile, so he relaxed, and we just started dancing. Nobody was showing off. Nobody was trying to get the gig. We were just in a space dancing. I looked over and Michael Showalter, our director, was beaming. Spark!”
A third installment of The Princess Diaries series? “We’re in a good place. That’s all I can say. There’s nothing to announce yet. But we’re in a good place.” What about the Devil Wears Prada 2? “Probably not. We all love each other and if somebody could come up with a way to do it, I think we’d all be crazy not to. But there’s a huge difference in the world now with technology, and one of the things about that particular story is it was about producing a physical object. Now with so much being digital, it would just be very different. Maybe me, Stanley, Emily, Meryl, Dave Frankel, Patricia Field…we should just all do something else together. That’d be fun.”
She loves her character in The Idea of You: “One of the points that the movie makes is something that really resonates with me: We have limited ideas of appropriate ways for women to be happy. And we react harshly and punitively when we feel that women have stepped outside those boundaries. I think that needs to stop, so I made a movie about it. I loved getting to play a character who has to come up against what the world thinks about her, how they’ve judged her, and decides to choose her own happiness. There’s this line where her ex-husband who left her, who is clearly threatened by her new choices, tries to shame her by saying: ‘Do you even know what people are saying about you?’ And you know what her response is? ‘No.’ Period. I just loved that.”
I liked that last point so much because it’s soooo true. “We have limited ideas of appropriate ways for women to be happy.” Those boundaries are enforced harshly, although it does feel like those boundaries change and widen over time. That being said, the whole premise of the movie feels so unlikely because those boundaries are “enforced” by women and men. In this situation, it wouldn’t just be the case where the “older woman” was being criticized and mocked – the younger guy would be getting tons of sh-t as well.
It’s a “His” & Hers” moment for our V148 Summer 2024 issue starring the one and only #AnneHathaway!
The Academy Award-winning actor and first-time V cover star poses in a gender bending story, photographed by @chriscolls and styled by Gro Curtis, in @dolcegabbana Alta Moda and… pic.twitter.com/U32dE7wPAe
— V Magazine (@vmagazine) April 22, 2024
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images, V’s IG.
- Anne Hathaway arrives for the Film Independent Spirit Awards 39th annual ceremony in Santa Monica, California, February 25, 2024 Copyright:,Image: 850891123, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Jeffrey Mayer / MediaPunch / Avalon
- Anne Hathaway arrives for the Film Independent Spirit Awards 39th annual ceremony in Santa Monica, California, February 25, 2024 Copyright:,Image: 850891139, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: imago is entitled to issue a simple usage license at the time of provision. Personality and trademark rights as well as copyright laws regarding art-works shown must be observed. Commercial use at your own risk., Model Release: no, Credit line: IMAGO/Jeffrey Mayer / MediaPunch / Avalon
- SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 25: Anne Hathaway attends the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards On The Beach on February 25, 2024 in Santa Monica, California.,Image: 851551174, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Anne Hathaway, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
- 2023 CFDA Fashion Awards held at the American Museum of Natural History Featuring: Anne Hathaway Where: New York, United States When: 06 Nov 2023 Credit: Startraksphoto.com
- CFDA Fashion Awards held at the American Museum of Natural History Featuring: Anne Hathaway Where: New York, New York, United States When: 06 Nov 2023 Credit: Barbara Hine/Future Image/Cover Images **NOT FOR PUBLICATION IN GERMANY**
- 2024 National Board Of Review Gala Featuring: Anne Hathaway Where: New York, New York, United States When: 11 Jan 2024 Credit: Janet Mayer/startraksphoto.com
I don’t think women realize how much guys shame their friends for not dating an appropriately “hot” woman. It’s like they think it will ruin their chances to do better. Shitty men, yes, but a lot of them.
Stepping outside what is currently considered appropriate is harshly punished.
What I think is funny is there probably is a young actress going, I have to dance? Couldn’t I just kiss them all?
Appropriate ways for women to be happy.
That’s painfully true.
Also with the huge influx of restyled misogyny to the baby millennials and the gen z crowd – women who have had other relationships, who aren’t virgins, who don’t realize they “peaked at 22” – the whole “used up” “for the streets” talk, the demand to know and judge a “body count”
I wonder how this movie is going to do and I’m interested in seeing the societal response.
Everything she said is on point. Great interview.
Off topic but Ann Hathaway has me considering bangs again for the millionth time.. it happens every time 🤣.
I always want bangs but my hair and skin are oily enough that all it does is give me breakouts. I wonder if there’s a really good bang hair piece to try out. Sorry, @kaiser, if this is giving you bangs trauma 😂. I would say the bangs should be a tad shorter so it doesn’t block vision but it might lose the affect.
I love her bangs and hair in this movie. Has me considering them too, but sadly I don’t have thick enough hair to pull off the look. I don’t understand all the bang hate when they’re done well.
It’s like marmite. You like bangs or you hate them. And honestly, the in-the-eye bangs is a lot. And yet I still like it…lol.
I love her bangs, and generally really like curtain bangs, but I know I would not want to deal with them. I’m not sure why there is so much bangs hate either!
I have one of those wig “toppers” with bangs! It’s basically just about the top 1/4 of a wig, made of human hair. I clip it on and boom, instant bangs and layers (the rest of my hair is about shoulder-length). It’s full lace so the part looks natural, and it just adds some extra hair and volume. And since it covers the whole top of your head, there’s no telltale “clip in” mark that you have to disguise with your natural hair. They aren’t cheap but I’ve never been clocked wearing mine 🙂
Just here for the Nicholas Galitzine love as he is adorable.
Watched it yesterday and it was cute. Anne and Nicholas were both good. I had wanted to see him in that show with Julianne Moore but it was on one of the subscriptions. Starz maybe? Or showtime. And I can’t do any more subscriptions. I barely like the ones I have now.
I watched yesterday too. It was decent, and I liked the point that she was shamed by the internet but also that she prioritized her kid.
I think the Julianne Moore pic is on Starz, I started it but it didn’t grab me, although I love her.
Okay yeah I don’t have starz. I kind of hate streaming. Everything feels so disparate. But I mean I guess there’s been some good things about it even if I find it annoying.
Anne, I adore you and you’re soooo beautiful but please grow the fringe out. If I had your brows and gorgeous brown eyes — I would never hide them under a fringe 💔😢
I love her with bangs. Different strokes……🤷♀️
Oh, it was definitely a power play, & it worked.
She didn’t have power to say “I can emote without kissing, it’s called acting” b/c she has no power & has to do what she was told.
No slight on Anne at all. But I wonder if things have really changed, or she just rise through the ranks enough to have a little clout.
Cute movie, great chemistry, and entertaining. NG is immensely talented, and I’ve always loved AH.
Just what I needed with summer being around the corner.
On to watching The Fall Guy next.
I’m watching this on laptop while typing this. And one of Anne (Solene’s) friends says to her “Women hate happy women” ❤️🩹 IFYKYK. Not going to threadjack, so please don’t respond to my comment. But doesn’t that just say everything 😔
Anne Hathaway really does give great interviews, and I liked her comments about fashion and the way things are different for chemistry tests. It’s always interesting to hear from industry veterans about how things have changed or stayed the same.
I’m not particularly excited for this movie, but that’s just because it’s not to my own personal taste. She’s always a solid actress, and I’m sure it’ll be a financial success for her.
Honestly? I’m hitting on 40, divorced, 4 kids. Dudes in their mid to late 20s are just as likely to hit on me as the 60+ crowd. It’s the guys in the 30-45 range who typically panic and stop flirting.
I don’t know if these Gen Z dudes are that pressed about dating 30-40 something women.
I agree with Anne’s take.
it’s because the guys in their 20’s aren’t thinking about being a stepdad to 4 kids and are just focusing on you. The guys in their 60’s see it as dating someone 20 years younger and at their age everyone has kids. The guys who are 30-40 either haven’t had kids yet/ want to find someone younger to have kids with and don’t want to be a stepdad or are raising their own and would prefer a younger girl who they can have their anchor baby with.
When I am in a huge hurry, have a lot to do, and haven’t had time to wash my hair, I wash my bangs and wear a pony-tail. As far as the movie, I tried to like it, and I gave it a really big try, but I thought it was poorly written, and I gave up on it. I just finished Alice and Jack: it was so good and beautifully written. Bring a hanky. It was a rom, but not a com. (Hope that is not thread-jacking).
Agree on the writing. There were apparently some diversions from the book that didn’t work well.
AH and NG did a good job with what they had, however. It wasn’t horrible and I finished it, which is more than I can say for some other recent films *cough* *Anyone But You* *cough*
I don’t agree that the character chose her own happiness over what others said.
She told him to see what happened in 5 years and then he came back to her.
How’s that a choice to be happy? She wasn’t. And he made the choice to reunite while she was sitting around being sad and watching Graham Norton.
I was really burned by the book, because it just ends. I thought I was at the end of a chapter, and nope, the book was over. If anyone is reading about this movie and thinking they should read the book, they need to know that it’s not happy. I thought there would be another book, but there’s no indication that is going to happen.
The book has a different ending than the movie- which I think (the book ending) is more realistic to show how there are many times women have to sacrifice one thing over the other.
I’ve always liked Anne since Ella Enchanted and Princess Diaries. I thought she’s beautiful then as she is now.
@kaiser On a separate topic(also not meaning to thread Jack) – I’ve noticed there’s been an uptick of trans-Atlantic rom coms lately((Upgraded, Irish Wish, Red White, Royal Blue, Love at first sight). I actually like it.
I saw this old clip of her circulating again lately and just wow… 🥺
https://youtu.be/S3-5e0OOLKQ?si=xCD1KH7cRo4kCPsz