Anne Jacqueline "Annie" Hathaway (born November 12 1982) is an American film and stage actress.

Hathaway made her debut in 1999 in the television series Get Real, but her career was not established until she starred in the Disney comedy The Princess Diaries (2001) opposite Julie Andrews. The film was well-received by critics and its success established her career and popularity. In the following three years Hathaway continued appearing in Disney-directed films and had the lead role in Ella Enchanted and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (both 2004). They received mixed reviews and performed moderately at the worldwide box office.

Hathaway took more creative control over her career with her next projects and co-starred in the mature-themed Havoc and Brokeback Mountain (both 2005). After appearing in revealing scenes in both, her contract with Disney was terminated. Her next film The Devil Wears Prada (2006), in which she starred opposite Meryl Streep, became the highest-grossing North American film of her career to date. Becoming Jane, her next film, is slated for release in 2007.

Hathaway's acting-style has been compared to that of Judy Garland,No author specified. "Dressed for success". The Sunday Times. September 24 2006. Retrieved October 8 2006. Julia Roberts, and Audrey Hepburn, and she cites Hepburn as her favorite actressThe Princess Diaries DVD commentary. A behind-the-scenes look at the film's production. Retrieved September 19 2006. and Streep as her idol.Claire, Marie. "Anne Hathaway". Anne Hathaway tells Marie Claire about her beloved boyfriend and working opposite her idol, Meryl Streep. Retrieved October 15 2006.

Biography

Early life and education

Hathaway was born on November 12, 1982, in Brooklyn, New York to Gerald Hathaway, a lawyer, and Kate McCauley, an actress who inspired Hathaway to follow in her footsteps."Anne Hathaway learns from a legend in 'Prada'". Associated Press. June 27 2006. Retrieved June 21 2006. She was named after the wife of playwright William Shakespeare. She has an older brother, Michael, and a younger brother, Thomas. Hathaway was raised in the Catholic religion with what she considers "really strong values", and wanted to be a nun during her childhood."Anne Hathaway Wished to Be a Nun". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved July 21 2006. However, at fifteen, she decided not to become a nun after learning that Michael was gay. Although she was raised as a Catholic, she felt that she could not be part of a religion that disapproved of her brother's sexual orientation.

Hathaway was raised in New Jersey and graduated from Millburn High School. She spent several semesters studying at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York before transferring to New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study.The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved October 8 2006. She referred to her college enrollment as one of her best decisions because she enjoys being with others trying to successfully "grow up". Hathaway was a member of the Barrow Group Theater Company's acting program and the first teenager admitted. She is a trained stage actress and has stated that she prefers appearing on stage to film roles.

Hathaway is a soprano and in 1998 performed twice with the All Eastern U.S. High School Honors Chorus at Carnegie Hall. Three days later, she was cast in the short-lived 1999 television series Get Real.

Early career work

Hathaway starred in Get Real for one season, after which it was cancelled. Her first major film role was in The Other Side of Heaven (2001) opposite Christopher Gorham, but before production began in New Zealand, she auditioned for the lead role of Mia Thermopolis in the Garry Marshall-directed The Princess Diaries (2001). Marshall cast her immediately because she fell off her chair during the audition and his granddaughters thought that she had nice hair. Hathaway enjoyed filming The Princess Diaries and called it "really fun". It was released before Heaven because of its comedic-oriented plot, which critics said was effective because of her casting; a reviewer for BBC wrote that "Hathaway shines in the title role, and generates great chemistry".Falk, Ben. BBC. "The Princess Diaries (2001)". December 11 2001. Retrieved September 19 2006. Across the world, the film was a commercial success"Box office statistics for The Princess Diaries (2001)". BoxOfficeMojo.com. Retrieved September 19 2006. and a sequel was planned shortly after. Hathaway was named one of 2001's breakthrough stars by People magazine.People magazine. December 2001 edition. Retrieved October 9 2006. The Other Side of Heaven was received weakly by critics, but it performed well for a Christian-themed film.Christian Movies: Comparison of Box Office Receipts. Adherents.com. Retrieved October 5 2006.
  "Box office statistics for The Other Side of Heaven (2001)". BoxOfficeMojo.com. Retrieved October 4 2006.

Hathaway continued appearing in comedic-oriented films and was known in the media as a children's role model."Hathaway too sweet to beat". Los Angeles Times. June 12 2004. Retrieved October 3 2006. The following year, she starred in Nicholas Nickleby (2002) opposite Charlie Hunnam and Jamie Bell, which opened to positive reviews; the Northwest Herald referred to it as "an unbelievably fun film"Westhoff, Jeffrey. Northwest Herald. "Nicholas Nickleby (2002)". Undated transcript. Retrieved September 23 2006. and the Deseret News said that the cast was "Oscar-worthy".Vice, Jeff. Deseret News. "Nicholas Nickleby". January 23 2003. Retrieved September 23 2006. Despite critically-acclaimed reception, the film never entered wide release and failed at the North American box office (totalling less than US$4 million),"Box office statistics for Nicholas Nickleby (2002)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved September 23 2006. but was screened until mid-2003. Hathaway's next role was in Ella Enchanted (2004), the screen adaptation of the award-winning Ella Enchanted. Paperback edition. Retrieved September 27 2006. novel. It received indifferent reviews: the Chicago Tribune called it "shiny candy that tastes oddly familiar yet lacks sugary punch",Elder, Robert. Chicago Tribune. "Movie review: Ella Enchanted". Undated transcript. Retrieved September 23 2006. and the New York Times felt that it was "clichéd and forgetful".No author specified. New York Times. "The release of Ella Enchanted". April 9 2004. Retrieved September 23 2006. However, the Dallas Morning News cited Tommy O'Haver's directing-style as "a Flintstones-like humor to the setting by melding modern with medieval culture".Churnin, Nancy. Dallas Morning News. "Ella Enchanted movie review". Undated transcript. Retrieved September 23 2006.

Hathaway was prepared to star opposite Gerard Butler in The Phantom of the Opera, but declined the role because of her conflicting contract with Disney, which she was unhappy about. Disney began production on The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) later that year and it was initially going to be filmed in Prague,The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement DVD commentary. A behind-the-scenes look at the film's production. Retrieved October 1 2006. but the location was changed to Los Angeles, where the "kingdom" of Genovia was built. The film opened to moderate reviews and peaked higher at the box office than its predecessor, but generated lower ticket sales."Princess Diaries 2 successful, but at a price". Vancouver Sun. F1. Retrieved October 1 2006.

Career transition

Hathaway began appearing in less comedic-oriented films following the worldwide success of The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement. She said that "anybody who was a role model for children needs a reprieve", although she also noted that "it's lovely to think that my audience is growing up with me", a reference to her previous status as a children's actress. She voiced a version of Little Red Riding Hood in Hoodwinked (2005), which received mixed reviews; The Hollywood Reporter said that it "gets hopelessly lost in the woods" and is "too one-note to sustain a feature-length format".Rechtshaffen, Michael. The Hollywood Reporter. December 16 2005. Retrieved October 12 2006. That same year, Hathaway was cast in the mature-rated Havoc (2005) and the drama Brokeback Mountain (2005), opposite Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal; she appeared topless in both films. Havoc was released direct-to-video because of its weak critical reception, but Brokeback Mountain won rave reviews Rottentomatoes Statistics. Retrieved October 12 2006. for its depiction of a homosexual relationship in the early 1960s ("it's a deeply felt, emotional love story", said the Los Angeles Times)Turan, Kenneth. Los Angeles Times. December 9 2005. Retrieved October 12 2006. and received several Academy Award nominations, including "Best Picture", though it lost to Crash (2004). No author specified. "Brokeback Mountain Fans in Tears over Oscar Loss". Fashion Monitor (Toronto). Retrieved October 12 2006. While Hathaway said that it would have been an honour for the film to have won "Best Picture",Hooper, Barrett. "Little Annie Primps Up in Prada". Inside Entertainment (June 2006), pg. 37–44. Retrieved September 16 2006. she asserted that its content was more important than its award count.

Hathaway's most recent film role was in the dark comedy The Devil Wears Prada (2006), in which she stars as an assistant to a powerful fashion magazine editor (Meryl Streep, whom she described as being "just divine"). Hathaway said that working on the film earned her respect in the fashion industry, but claims her personal style is something she "can't get right" and that she prefers "doing the things she loves" instead of looking in the mirror.

Hathaway's next film Becoming Jane, in which she stars as English writer Jane Austen, is slated for release in early 2007.

Personal life

Since 2004, Hathaway has been in a relationship with Italian real estate developer Raffaello Follieri.Manelis, Michele. When the princess met the Devil. The New Zealand Herald, 2006-10-19. Last accessed 2006-11-17. She enjoys interior design and reading as pastimes, and has stated that she is a non-denominational Christian. Follieri started the Follieri Foundation, a charity that provides medical assistance for children living in third world nations. Hathaway began doing charity work with her boyfriend after realizing that she used to feel sorry for herself whilst "hav[ing] everything". Follieri and Hathaway have helped vaccinate children across Africa, and in other regions of the world, including more than 1000 in Nicaragua. Hathaway hopes to continue their charity work.

Filmography

Notes and references

External links

• Anne Hathaway at TV.com
• Anne Hathaway – Google directory