In a candid revelation for Vanity Fair’s latest cover story, Anne Hathaway shared a stark critique she faced early in her career: a perceived lack of sex appeal. Dismissing this early assessment, Hathaway confidently stated, “I’m a Scorpio. I know what I’m like on a Saturday night.”
Hathaway, whose ascent in Hollywood began with her iconic role in “The Princess Diaries” at just 17, reflected on the industry’s evolving standards of attractiveness. She observed that during her initial years, a more restricted and male-dominated view of sexiness prevailed, a perspective she now finds less relevant. “The male gaze was very dominant, pervasive, and juvenile,” Hathaway remarked, underscoring the shift towards valuing personal essence over appearance in today’s film and television landscape.
Her latest project, “The Idea of You,” showcases Hathaway as Solène, a single mother who finds herself in a romantic whirlwind with a much younger man, Hayes Campbell, the 24-year-old lead singer of the hottest boy band, portrayed by Nicholas Galitzine. The movie, an adaptation of Robinne Lee’s bestselling novel, champions the narrative of a woman’s self-discovery and sexual liberation at any age. Hathaway expressed her enthusiasm for the film’s positive stance on female pleasure, humorously noting, “It’s not like one healthy, consensual female orgasm (okay, multiple) is going to change the world,” but celebrating the joy in representing women’s sexual satisfaction.
The film made its debut with favorable critiques at SXSW, with Variety’s Peter Debruge applauding Hathaway’s portrayal of a liberated single mother whose romance with Galitzine’s character is portrayed as profoundly authentic and timeless. “The Idea of You” is set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video on May 2.
