(Photo was taken from Greatist)
Anne Hathaway is a name we all grew up with. We know and love her from her role as Princess Mia, and we also got to see her grow up and be a part of other films, such as Love & Other Drugs. For some reason, though, the Internet has been extra tough on this particular actress. When I found out that so many people thought negatively of her, I could not believe it! Here is a woman who carries herself with grace and kindness, and stands up for the causes she believes in, yet people criticize her anyway! I know most of my friends love her as much as I do, so when I told them of this discovery, they were shocked, as well. I am not one to say that people’s opinions are ever necessarily wrong, but if you do not like Anne Hathaway, you are very mistaken. Don’t believe me? Here is a list of my top ten favorite movies she is in and why I think she is one of the best actresses of our time.
9. Valentine’s Day: This movie is not the best one out there, but it is pretty entertaining anyway. The title makes it the perfect holiday movie because how can you not watch Valentine’s Day on Valentine’s Day? Or, at least, watch it on Galentine’s Day? Even though the all-star cast makes for a film, in which, the protagonist is unidentifiable, it is still fun to watch some of our favorites actors and actresses work together on a movie.
8. Bride Wars: It stars Anne Hathaway and Kate Hudson! These are rom-com favorites for good reason! You will surely get a few laughs out of watching them play terrible pranks on each other in order to sabotage the other’s wedding. Although this is truly a nightmare for any girl, the character arcs make for a redeeming ending. Not to mention, we get to see Candice Bergen as the “it” wedding planner, Marion St. Claire.
7. One Day: For those of you who enjoy watching unconventional movies, this one is for you! The movie is seen from the perspective of two university friends as they grow up and go into their adult lives. We only see their lives in one-year increments, as we are only shown what happens on July 15th of every year. It confronts real issues that people face going into adulthood; you will feel your range of emotions as you watch this one! And no, you are not allowed to criticize Anne’s accent because she is fabulous!
6. Becoming Jane: As if you needed more reason to love Anne, she portrayed the amazingly talented author, Jane Austen, in this film. Feel the same challenges and heartbreak that Jane felt with Anne’s amazing embodiment of her. I personally love movies where I can see different kinds of wardrobes and settings, so that is also a definite plus for this one!
5. Ella Enchanted: A rendition of Cinderella, this clever movie tells the story of Ella of Frell and how she fought against the monarchy to stand up for those who were being oppressed in the kingdom. And of course, as with all good fairy tales, she falls in love with a perfectly kind and handsome prince played by Hugh Dancy.
4. The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement: Watch the beloved Princess Mia accidentally fall in love with the man who is trying to steal her crown despite all of her efforts to dislike him. In this movie, we see the wonderful romance between her and Lord Nicholas Devereaux (Chris Pine), as well as watch Mia take on the role of Queen of Genovia.
3. Les Miserables: Okay, I am aware that she got heavily critiqued for her role as Fantine, but I have been a fan of the musical for as long as I can remember (literally), and I thought she did wonderfully. Yes, we can agree to disagree on this one, but you should at least recognize that she put in a great deal of work into this role, as did all of the other actors, and also sang the song live during filming. All of the actors had to do this as per director Tom Hooper’s request; this was an artistic decision that gave the film a much more raw effect that is lacking in many other movie musicals.
2. The Princess Diaries: Ah, yes, the movie that launched Anne Hathaway’s career and really got her name out there! Everything about this movie is amazing! Mia Thermopolis was a regular 15-year-old girl living with her super cool artist mom in San Francisco (who could forget the paint balloon popping scene? It is still on my to-do list by the way). She gets a surprise visit from her grandmother, also known as the queen of Genovia. Yes, imagine that, living your life as a regular high schooler and then being told you are a princess 15 years after your birth! Although this may sound like a dream to many, it was a complete nightmare for Mia who spends the entirety of the movie taking princess lessons and figuring out whether or not she wants to accept her title. Confession: After this movie’s release, I spent several months pestering my mother about whether I had any long lost relatives who may have been heading a monarchy. She always said no, so there went that! But honestly, seeing Anne learn to be a princess through Julie Andrews’s guidance is a pretty great alternative! ;)
1. The Devil Wears Prada: Who could forget empathizing with Andy as she became the second assistant to Miranda Priestly, a role which Meryl Streep played incredibly well, by the way! We see her make her way up the fashion industry ladder in order to obtain a recommendation from Miranda for her dream job at a New York news publication. As if these two actresses weren’t enough, Emily Blunt, Adrian Grenier, and Stanley Tucci all play characters you will root for in different ways! P.S.: This movie was filmed ten years ago! How is that for feeling old?!
There you have it. A personal compilation of Anne Hathaway films that, I think, prove she is a great actress who has the ability to take on a multitude of roles.