Anne Hathaway wants everyone to stop calling her ‘Anne,’ as she prefers to be called something else.
Hathaway is an American actress who has starred in numerous blockbuster films, including The Devil Wears Prada, Les Misérables, and Interstellar.
Her movies have grossed an impressive $6.8 billion worldwide.
You’d think that as such a major Hollywood star, Hathaway would be accustomed to people calling her by her name without giving it much thought – but that’s not the case.
The actress says her name ‘doesn’t fit’ her and that no one in her life uses it.
But first, let’s explore how Hathaway became a household name, accumulating millions of fans who never knew she disliked being called ‘Anne.’
Hathaway’s big break came when she landed the role of Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries.
Remarkably, she secured the part in just one audition, instantly connecting with director Garry Marshall.
Hathaway recalled in an interview with Vogue: “At some point during the audition, I got really nervous and fell out of my chair, and I think that’s what he was most impressed with.”
This moment remains a cherished ‘fairy tale’ experience for Hathaway. Reflecting on the film’s anniversary, she said: “I remember [the day] and I give thanks to the universe, a big open-hearted thank you because that was the day that dreams came true for me.
“There are a lot of aspects to my life that are very real, but also a lot that are very fairy tale. That was the day that my fairy tale started.”
After her success in The Princess Diaries, Hathaway was keen to maintain her momentum and started pursuing more mature roles to avoid being typecast.
“It’s lovely to think that my audience is growing up with me,” the star said.
Her fans certainly did, as Hathaway went on to star in major hits like Brokeback Mountain and The Devil Wears Prada.
Recently, Hathaway has been keeping herself occupied with a variety of projects and public appearances.
She recently featured in the romantic comedy The Idea of You, which debuted on Prime Video in May 2024.
The film, adapted from Robinne Lee’s novel, follows Solène, a 39-year-old single mother who begins a romance with a much younger pop star named Hayes Campbell, portrayed by Nicholas Galitzine.
Hathaway is also featured in the 2024 psychological thriller Mothers’ Instinct.
This film with costar Jessica Chastain delves into the darker aspects of maternal love and friendship after a tragic accident.
Before diving into these projects, the Ella Enchanted star faced a challenging personal decision… about her name.
During an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the host inquired: “I’ve known you for a pretty long time now. I’ve heard people call you Annie, like your good friends. Do I call you Anne or Annie?”
The actress responded: “Call me Annie! Everybody, everybody, call me Annie – please!”
She went on to explain that she started using the name Anne professionally at 14 when she needed a Screen Actors Guild membership card.
At that time, Hathaway couldn’t have anticipated her future success or that people would consistently use her birth name instead of her preferred nickname.
“They asked me, ‘What do you want your name to be?’ And I’m like, well, it should be my name. My name’s Anne Hathaway,” the actress recalled.
“And so that seemed like the right choice. But it never occurred to me that for the rest of my life people would call me Anne.”
Hathaway shared that the only person who still calls her Anne is, predictably, her mother—and only when she’s upset with her.
“The only person who ever calls me Anne is my mother, and she only does it when she’s really mad at me,” the actress added.
“So every time I step out in public and someone calls my name, I think they’re going to yell at me.”
Hathaway then asked the audience to call her ‘anything but Anne,’ adding: “People are so lovely – they don’t want to be presumptuous, and so they come up with workarounds on set because the truth is nobody’s comfortable calling me Anne ever. It doesn’t fit.”
“I’m an Annie. And so people call me, like, Miss H; people call me Hath. So feel free to call me anything but Anne.”