Anne Jacqueline Hathaway is a multi-award winning actress who has been active in the entertainment industry for over two decades. Her most notable roles include those in The Princess Diaries, The Dark Knight, Les Misérables, and the Rio animated movie franchise. Beyond these notable roles, the actress has proven her talent by taking on a wide selection of projects across different genres.
With her far reaching legacy, her influence cannot be understated. Despite being already recognised by much of the world, it still does not hurt to get to know the actress a little more. Below are six facts that every Anne Hathaway fan should know.
6. She Was Named After William Shakespeare’s Wife
While Anne Hathaway is certainly a unique talent, her name is interestingly not unique to her. Surprisingly, there was another notable ‘Anne Hathaway’ in history, and that was the wife of William Shakespeare. This is not a coincidence; in fact, her name, Anne, was named after Shakespeare’s wife. Her name was almost Catherine, but it was eventually decided that she would be named after the other well-known Hathaway. Anne Hathaway, the actress, later revealed that she did not like her name, though, and preferred being called “Annie” instead.
5. Before She Became An Actress, Anne Hathaway Wanted To Become A Nun
Anne Hathaway almost made her mark in churches or convents, not theaters and movie screens. When she was young, though she had acting at heart, she considered venturing into the religious vocation if did not succeed as an actress. Needless to say, the rest is history. Hathaway went on to become a successful artist, winning multiple awards in the process.
4. Her Mother Also Played Fantine In A Les Misérables Production
The 2012 Les Misérables movie earned Anne Hathaway several awards thanks to her role as Fantine. In the film and novel, Fantine was a prostitute who struggled to make ends meet every day. Hathaway cutting her hair and her emotional “I Dreamed a Dream” rendition are notable benchmarks of her performance. However, Fantine was a legacy role for the actress. Her mother, Kate Hathaway, also played Fantine in the first U.S. traveling tour of the show when Anne Hathaway was eight. This, in fact, was what inspired Anne Hathaway to pursue a career in acting, and her mother also helped prepare her to take on large roles like that.
3. Anne Hathaway Voiced Jewel In The Rio Franchise
Anne Hathaway voiced Jewel, one of the main characters in the two Rio movies. The first movie saw her as Blu’s potential mate to save their dwindling macaw species, while in the second movie, Jewel propelled the team to the Amazon to discover a hidden tribe of macaws deep in the Amazon. Beyond the Rio franchise, the actress has had several voice acting roles. In The Simpsons, she voiced Jenny, Bart’s former girlfriend, in Season 20 Episode 17 (“The Good, the Sad and the Drugly”) and Season 24 Episode 1 (“Moonshine River”). Speaking of girlfriends, she also voiced Krusty the Clown’s girlfriend, Princess Penelope.
2. She Is An Ardent Advocate For Women’s Rights
Hathaway’s impact does not end within the bounds of a theater screen. Being a beacon of women’s rights, Hathaway has fought to see women treated fairly and with the respect they deserve. In 2016, she was appointed as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. Some of her efforts include advocating for the Nike Foundation to raise awareness about child marriage. She then founded The Girl Effect, which aims to empower young girls in poor countries who were not able to study. She also advocated for paid parental leave for men and women alike.
1. Anne Hathaway Is An Academy Award winner
Anne Hathaway has been nominated for the Oscars twice. The first time was at the 2009 Oscars where she was nominated for the award of Best Actress thanks to her role in Rachel Getting Married. Though she did not win with her first nomination, in 2013, Hathaway won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role as Fantine in Les Misérables.
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