Anne Hathaway began her career very young, on the TV show Get Real (1999–2000), catching the attention of producers and winning over audiences, which led her to the lead role in The Princess Diaries, a film that grossed $165 million worldwide.
Since then, she has produced and participated in hits such as The Devil Wears Prada (2006), her biggest commercial success to date, and Rachel Getting Married (2008), which earned her first Oscar nomination. She also was in The Dark Knight Rises (2012), the highest-grossing film of her career to date, and Les Misérables (2012), which earned her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Even though Anne is a huge actress with major roles, over the years, she has come under criticism for being fake and inauthentic, especially after jokes made during her Oscar acceptance speech. After the event, countless hate messages and an overall hate speech were directed at her, impacting her career, such as the loss of roles in Hollywood films, and leading to her stepping away from the spotlight.
Never away from de camera
The Oscar winner stepped away from the limelight in 2013, but she never left the cameras. Between 2013 and 2016, she produced just as many films as she had in the previous four years; she simply stepped out of the Hollywood bubble.
The industry would never forget someone like Anne Hathaway, and director Christopher Nolan proves it. In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2024, she says that Nolan was like an angel in her career. She states that he didn’t care about the criticism directed at her and gifted Anne with one of the most beautiful roles in one of the best films she had ever been in: Interstellar (2014).
If the actress never stopped producing and appearing in visual works, was it she who disappeared, or was she simply sidelined by the public?
Gone or forgotten?
The artist acknowledges that the step back she had to take was a result of all the hate she received from the public. What happened to Anne reflected a prevailing societal norm, where women are often treated and perceived as lacking their own personality and being overly emotional simply for getting emotional upon winning one of the major awards of her career.
This reaction highlights that viewers dictated part of the actress’s future. However, she never gave up, even though she was sidelined by the public.
From hate to standing ovation
In 2026, Anne has already starred in some films and is still set to appear in others, totaling five productions across completely different genres this year alone. This trajectory demonstrates that she is not merely experiencing a comeback, but is truly in high demand.
The turning point came after a long process, marked by her role in the 2018 movie Oceans 8, where she was highly praised for her performance and the outfits she wore during the film’s promotional tour. The culmination of this process was her leading role in the film A Little Bit of You (2024), for which she was widely embraced by the public. This acceptance was not the result of a change in the actress’s personality or attitude, but rather a shift in the audience’s perception.
Her moment, finally
With appearances in five films, including The Devil Wears Prada 2, the sequel to one of her biggest hits, Anne Hathaway is currently at the peak of her career. Among her upcoming projects, critics consider Mother Mary and The Odyssey the most promising, highlighting their strong artistic and commercial potential.
Now starring in films led by highly acclaimed directors. Hathaway continues to demonstrate her versatility and talent as a great actress. Her current success also reflects a significant shift in public perception, as audiences who once harshly criticized her are now eagerly anticipating her new releases. In many ways, 2026 marks Anne Hathaway’s big comeback, with l the spotlight firmly on her.
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The article above was edited by Isabella Messias.
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