Anne Hathaway has been gracing the big screen (and winning our hearts) since the early 2000s. She’s taken on all sorts of roles, from that of a struggling drug addict to the assistant of a fashion magazine editor to even an awkward high schooler who finds out she’s a princess. Is there anything she can’t do?
While Hathaway’s talent is evident in every role she takes on, we’re here to narrow them down and look at her greatest. Picking a handful won’t be easy, but we’ll do our best. Sit back, relax, and get ready to enjoy our favorite films starring Anne Hathaway. Here’s how her roles all stack up.
Ella Enchanted
Anne Hathaway plays the spunky lead heroine in Ella Enchanted. This romantic fantasy comedy tells the tale of a girl who is given “the gift of obedience,” which makes her do any and everything she is told. While the plotline was might have been predictable, Hathway’s acting is the real star. Also, what early 2000s kid doesn’t have this entire film memorized?
This early movie helped Hathaway spread her name as she slowly transitioned from teen flicks to more adult films. Nevertheless, we’re still here boppin’ to that killer soundtrack.
The Intern
Starring alongside Robert De Niro, The Intern saw Hathaway carrying this mature role with poise. The Intern is about a retired executive (De Niro) taking part in a senior citizen intern program at Jule Ostin’s (Hathaway’s) e-commerce fashion startup. It follows their budding friendship with each other while also focussing on the struggles Ostin faces as work continues to consume her life.
Hathaway brings believability to her character, who is always trying to push forward. She deals with the challenges of Jule’s life—from a cheating husband to job criticism—with subtle vulnerability.
Get Smart
Get Smart is what happens when you pair up one of comedy’s greatest stars with one of the world’s most diversely talented actress. This action spy comedy saw Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) attempting to fulfill his dreams of becoming a field agent. Agent 99 (played by Hathaway) serves as his slightly more serious counterpart.
While the film as a whole welcomed mixed reviews, Hathaway held her own. She balanced her unlikely chemistry with Maxwell without straying from her character’s drive. We’re ready for this mission.
Interstellar
Hathaway starred in the intense and moving Interstellar. This sci-fi space drama was both commercially and critically successful, thanks to the believable emotions of Hathaway and her co-stars.
This also ranks as one of Hathaway’s most physically tolling roles. In fact, the actress almost suffered from hypothermia while filming a water scene in Iceland because her suit hadn’t been properly secured. Despite this, she pushed through the obstacles and pulled out one heck of a film.
Brokeback Mountain
This out-west romantic drama pulled in over 178 million dollars at the box office against a budget of only 14 million. The star-studded cast including Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, and, of course, Anne Hathaway, leading it to success.
Gyllenhall’s character finds himself wrapped up an extramarital affair, and Hathaway plays his detached wife. Although her role is small, it’s impossible not to feel. She’s skilled at fading into character.
Colossal
In this sci-fi comedy, Anne Hathaway stars as a writer with alcohol problems who learns that she’s connected to a monster destroying Seoul, South Korea. The story was offbeat, dark, and strange, and Hathaway effortlessly shaped herself into it.
The film grossed just over 4 million dollars at the box office, up against a budget of 15 million. While it was a commercial failure, it was a Hathaway success. She blended into the film even though its genre stretched outside her previous acting boundaries.
The Devil Wear Prada
Before Hathaway was running a fashion startup in The Intern, she was attempting to make a name for herself in the industry in The Devil Wear Prada.
Starring across from Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt, Hathaway was surrounded by some of Hollywood’s most talented actress. Nevertheless, her skills were not overshadowed. She allows her character to work hard and develop naturally as she tries to survive as the co-assistant of a powerful fashion magazine editor (Streep). We know her for this role, and we love her for this role.
Rachel Getting Married
Rachel Getting Married follows a drug-abusing woman who returns home from rehab to celebrate her sister’s wedding. Hathaway plays the drug-abusing woman—not the sister.
She carried the weighty role with a certain genuineness, revealing that upon reading the script for the first time, she ended up crying on the floor of her apartment. She certainly brought those initial raw feelings to set and, eventually, to the big screen. The human emotions in this one are real, and Hathaway ensures they come to life.
Les Misérables
In one of Hathaway’s most dramatic roles, she portrays Fantine, a struggling factory worker in 19th-century France who resorts herself to prostitution. Her desperate character is portrayed with a raw vulnerability that makes you forget you’re watching the same Hathaway that played the plucky heroine of Ella Enchanted.
The Les Misérables role also demanded Hathaway to sing on set, which produced one of the most heart-wrenching renditions of “I Dreamed a Dream” to exist. Her multiple talents are worthy of praise.
Princess Diaries
How could any of Hathaway’s other roles have been crowned her best? Did you really think this would be a surprise? Hathway plays Mia Thermopolis, an awkward and clumsy high school student who learns she is a princess when her estranged grandmother (Julie Andrews) comes for a visit. The film quickly became a teen classic, and Hathaway’s dramatic and funny acting skills made it all the better. The number of quotable lines in this movie is unreal.
The Princess Diaries earned itself one incredibly hilarious and romantic sequel, and a third one might be on the way. We’re keeping our fingers crossed, our chins up, and our crowns held high.
