The Princess Diaries, directed by Garry Marshall and largely based on Meg Cabot’s 2000 young adult novel of the same name, was Anne Hathaway’s first feature film performance and nearly single-handedly launched her acting career, which has extended well over two decades.
With rumors of a third installment in the works, it’s only fair to look at how Anne Hathaway has changed in the years since the premiere of the legendary film series.
How Old Was Anne Hathaway in Princess Diaries 1?
When The Princess Diaries debuted in theaters across the country on August 3, 2001, Anne Hathaway was eighteen years old. Several reports have stated that if Juliette Lewis, the actress the studio originally considered for the lead, had taken the part, Anne Hathaway would not have been given the chance to try out for the first Princess Diaries.
However, Disney and director Gary Marshall put together a list of several women who could gracefully take on the role after she turned down a great chance to shine.
Liv Tyler, Eva Mendes, Kate Beckinsale, Claire Danes, Jessica Biel, Alicia Silverstone, Cameron Diaz, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Claire Danes, Drew Barrymore, Brittany Murphy, Christina Applegate, Katie Holmes, Eva Mendes, and of course Anne Hathaway were among them.
Director Marshall was impressed by the audition recordings of all the aforementioned actresses, but the director’s granddaughters could not stop praising Anne because of her hair, which gave her an advantage over the others. Hathaway’s favorable outcome was reinforced by other noteworthy elements, persuading both the director and the studio that the Dark Knight Rises actress was the ideal choice for the role.
To begin with, the audition tape that Marshall viewed was captured on camera during the actress’s 26-hour layover in Los Angeles prior to her departure for New Zealand to shoot The Other Side of Heaven, which would have been her first feature film.
The adventure drama was originally scheduled to come out before Princess Diaries, but Disney postponed the release of the latter in the hopes that Hathaway’s enormous star power would increase sales of The Other Side of Heaven after learning that the Meg Cabot-inspired movie might be a big hit. The mistaken decision backfired since the movie was a box office bomb.
Hathaway’s nervousness caused her to fall from the chair during the audition tape, which contributed to her landing her breakthrough part. However, Marshall thought the apparent tragedy was remarkable and endearing. Anne was only seventeen years old when she landed the role. November 12, 2000, was the actress’s 18th birthday, and the film was filmed at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, between September 18 and December 8, 2000.
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How Old Was Anne Hathaway in Princess Diaries 2?
When The Princess Diaries: Royal Engagement was released in August 2004, Anne Hathaway was 21 years old. The sequel to The Princess Diaries began production in November 2003, and the actress returned to reprise her role. She was 20 years old when production began, but she turned 21 on November 12 of that year.
The three-year age disparity between Anne’s characters in both episodes of the film is important, as noted by the actress herself. According to her, The Princess Diaries dealt with her character’s journey to womanhood and the changes that come with it, whereas the sequel depicts her in a different light, essentially depicting her transformation from an unsure, insecure young adult woman to a more mature, confident, responsible, and fully realized woman.
What Did Anne Hathaway’s Princess Diaries Character Look Like?
Mia Thermopolis, the heir presumptive and princess of Genovia, a small fictional monarchy between France and Spain, was played by Anne Hathaway. Anne’s character is the main heroine of the series, which was established in 2000 by Meg Cabot.
Her full name is Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi (Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Grimaldi Renaldo in the book series), and she is the daughter of painter Helen Thermopolis and Genovia’s crown prince, Prince Philippe Renaldi (Renaldo in the book series).
Unlike in the books, Princess Mia’s father dies a few months before the events of the film, and she resides in San Francisco rather than New York, as in the books. However, the books and film show Mia as a 15-year-old who owns a 1965 Mustang, but as previously said, Anne Hathaway, who played the role, was 17 when filming began and had turned 18 by the time it was published.
Mia, played by Hathaway, is modest, meek, occasionally cunning and caustic, and critically self-conscious. Her superb performance was crucial to the film’s positive reviews upon release, and it also helped turn a $26 million budget film into a gross worldwide earnings of more than $165 million.
How Does Anne Hathaway Look Now?
While she still has the wonderful physical attributes that made her the toast of early-2000s pop culture, Anne Hathaway has come a long way since her days as Princess Mia of Genovia.
Her acting career took off when she participated in the film series, and she went on to appear in a number of family films, including Ella Enchanted (2004). She subsequently moved on to adult parts in films such as Brokeback Mountain (2005), The Devil Wears Prada (2006), and Rachel Getting Married (2008), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Her appearance as Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises was her highest-grossing movie in 2012. Later, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Fantine, a prostitute in the musical Les Misérables who is dying of disease.
Her voice work in the sitcom The Simpsons earned her a Primetime Emmy Award, among other honors. Hathaway and actor and businessman Adam Shulman exchanged vows in 2012, and the two are now married with two sons.
How Old is Anne Hathaway Now?
Anne Hathaway is currently 41 years old. On November 12, 1982, in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, the United States, Anne Jacqueline “Annie” Hathaway was born. Her mother, Kate Hathaway (née McCauley), is a former actress, and her father, Gerald Hathaway, practices labor law.
The actress’s father gave her considerable French, English, and German ancestry, although she is of Irish blood through both of her parents. Her family relocated to Millburn, New Jersey when she was approximately six years old. There, she grew up with two brothers, Michael, who was older, and Thomas, who was younger.
Both Wyoming Elementary School in Millburn and Brooklyn Heights Montessori School served Anne as a student. After graduating from Millburn High School, she continued her education at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in 1993. She was also the first adolescent accepted into the acting program of the Barrow Group Theater Company.
After a few years at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, where she majored in English and minored in political science, she transferred to New York University’s Gallatin School of Individualized Study.
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Will Anne Hathaway Return in Princess Diaries 3?
A third edition of The Princess Diaries is in the works, although it is unclear whether Anne Hathaway or any of the previous cast members will return. The actress has made no secret of her desire to take on the role, but only if the production is flawlessly performed.
In conclusion, “The Princess Diaries,” directed by Garry Marshall and starring Anne Hathaway, not only established her brilliant acting career but also remained a cultural touchstone. At the age of 18, Hathaway’s portrayal of Mia Thermopolis enthralled audiences, making her a household name. At 41, Hathaway has matured into an acclaimed actress, receiving honors and acclaim in a variety of roles, demonstrating her persistent talent and adaptability.
