Anne Jacqueline Hathaway was born on November 12, 1982 in Brooklyn, New York. The daughter of Gerald Hathaway, a lawyer, and Kate McCauley, Anne was named after the wife of playwright William Shakespeare. Anne was raised in a well-to-do household along with two siblings, an older brother, Michael and younger brother, Thomas. Strong Catholic values were instilled in Anne as she grew up in Milburn, New Jersey. She initially wanted to be a nun but decided not to pursue it when, at fifteen years old, she learned that her brother Michael was gay. She felt she could not be part of a religion that disapproved of her brother’s sexual orientation. Her mother, a stage actress, initially sparked her interest in acting. She participated in many school plays and honed her acting skills at the Milburn High School where she graduated. She studied at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York but transferred to New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study. During this time she got accepted in the Barrow Group Theater Company’s acting program, the first teenager ever admitted.
Anne Hathaway, a soprano, established herself as a talented musical performer when she performed twice in 1998 with the All Eastern U.S. High School Honors Chorus at Carnegie Hall. A few days after her Carnegie performance, she got her first professional acting gig when she was cast in the 1999 television series “Get Real”. But her big break came when she played Mia Thermopolis in “The Princess Diaries”. The movie was a commercial success all over the world and a sequel eventually came with Anne still in the leading role. The film essentially turned the young actress into an overnight superstar. Her image as a children’s actor continued with such films as “Nicholas Nickleby” in 2002 and “Ella Enchanted” in 2004. She was set to perform with Gerald Butler in “The Phantom of the Opera” but backed out due to her conflicting contract with Disney.
To disprove critics who were wondering if Anne is capable of playing more mature and daring roles, Anne landed a role in 2005’s “Havoc”, a mature-rated film where she plays a spoiled rich kid. She appeared in several nude and sexual scenes throughout the film, surprising many of her fans. But the actress stated that, “anybody who was a role model for children needs a reprieve.” She also noted that, “it’s lovely to think that my audience is growing up with me.” Her career transition to more non-comedic roles was again evident in that same year’s critically-acclaimed drama “Brokeback Mountain”. Cast alongside Heat Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, she held her own against the two very talented actors and again appeared in nude scenes in the film. The acting in the movie was very good and it earned the film several Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.
2006 saw her return to a more mainstream role as she was cast alongside legendary Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada” where she played an assistant to Streep’s character. She was all praise for the veteran actress and described Meryl as “just divine”. To lose weight for the movie, she stuck to a diet of fruits, vegetables and fish and at times felt so hungry she cried with co-star Emily Blunt.
One of Anne’s latest projects is “Becoming Jane” where she played English writer Jane Austen. This was her first film where she had to speak with an accent and she had a hard time performing the role. Future roles include a film adaptation of “Get Smart” opposite comedian Steve Carell and the thriller/drama “Passengers”, where she stars alongside Patrick Wilson. She is set to begin filming the comedy “Bride Wars”, in which she stars with Kate Hudson. The two will play friends whose wedding days fall on the same day.
Aside from acting, Anne is also the face of beauty giant Lancome’s newest fragrance which will be launched in September 2008. She enjoys reading and interior design during her free time. Her favorite novel is Ayn Rand’s “The Fountainhead”. Since 2004, the actress has been in a relationship with real estate developer Raffaello Follieri. Anne is usually close-mouthed when it comes to her personal life and relationship.
