Actor Anne Hathaway’s performance in Brokeback Mountain helped establish the career that she enjoys today.
But although she was seen as a highlight of the film, she thought her acting actually risked bringing down the feature.
Anne Hathaway auditioned for ‘Brokeback Mountain’ dressed as her ‘Princess Diaries 2’ character
Hathaway shot to fame after her breakthrough role in The Princess Diaries. Afterwards, she found herself starring in projects that were similar in tone. She ended up in many lighthearted films like Nicholas Nickleby and Ella Enchanted. She’d eventually even reprise her first breakthrough role in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.
In an interview with Chud, Hathaway shared that this was the intended trajectory of her career during her younger years. But her preferences would change as she matured.
“It’s interesting because when I was 20 I was still interested in doing the female empowerment, heroine stories. But after that it was like, wait a minute, let’s go to a new place,” she said.
Films like Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain offered Hathaway the kinds of challenging roles she’d been seeking. Ironically, Lee recalled that Hathaway clinched the part while she was filming The Princess Diaries 2. The actor had even shown up in costume.
“With Anne Hathaway, I didn’t really know her work. On the Universal lot for auditions, the casting director told me the next actress coming in to read was going to apologize for her clothes and makeup, but to just let her do that and go into the reading,” Lee said in a Variety interview. “Then Anne came in, wearing heavy makeup and dressed as a princess, because she was shooting a parade scene for The Princess Diaries 2 on the Universal lot. She used her lunch hour to audition for the part.”
Anne Hathaway left a screening for ‘Brokeback Mountain’ after thinking she’d ruined the film
Hathaway didn’t predict the success she’d achieve as an actor. She would’ve considered herself fortunate enough if she’d made a living doing theater work.
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“My goal in life is maybe I could make it on to Broadway and, if I found the right role in the right year, maybe get nominated for a Tony,” she once told The Scotsman. “That was the extent of my dreams, and the fact I have people championing my work is not really something I expected, to be perfectly honest. I didn’t think I was that kind of an actress.”
But even after the success she experienced with The Princess Diaries and beyond, Hathaway became disillusioned with her career. Brokeback Mountain couldn’t have come at a better time for the star.
“I had just about given up on myself as an actress when it came along,” she said. “I just didn’t think I was any good, and felt lost. I didn’t know how to communicate with people. And then to be cast as a character who had nothing to do with who I was, and do it in the company of people like Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams and not stick out like a sore thumb, was huge.”
Like many others, Hathaway was both honored to be a part of the film, and impressed by what Lee accomplished. So much so that when it was being screened at a film festival, Hathaway couldn’t stick around to watch her scenes. She was afraid that her performance would’ve tainted Brokeback Mountain.
“The movie was so beautiful, so perfect, I thought I would ruin it, so I left,” she said. “I came back just in time to see a scene where my breasts were on screen, so that was special.”
Anne Hathaway shared when she’d know it would be time to do ‘something else’ in her career
Hathaway has since carved the kind of career for herself she might have always wanted. She’s starred in movies in a variety of genres, ranging from dramas to romantic comedies and everything in between. She’s even gone on to win an Oscar for Best Actress thanks to her performance in Les Miserables.
Although her career has shown no signs slowing down, Hathaway revealed the signs she’d look out for that might convince her to make a change.
“I think that the day I arrive on a set and I feel like I know what I’m doing and I have nothing left to learn is the day that I should do something else,” she said in a 2022 Backstage interview. “There’s opportunity everywhere. There’s always an opportunity to learn and grow.”
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