Anne Hathaway is currently enjoying the success of the highly anticipated sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2. However, the two decades since the original film have been marked by significant turmoil for the actress. In the early 2010s, Hathaway became the target of a wave of online vitriol so intense that it earned the moniker 'Hatha-hate,' leading to lost film roles and a decline in her mental health.
The Hollywood star was subjected to toxic trolling, with critics labeling her as 'fake' and 'theatrical.' A 2013 poll by The San Francisco Chronicle even named her 'The Most Annoying Celebrity of the Year.' Her Oscar win for Les Miserables that same year did little to quell the backlash; the opening line of her acceptance speech, 'it came true,' went viral after viewers called it 'pretentious.'
The Origins of the Hate
While the exact moment the tide turned is unclear, the backlash seemed to intensify around her widely panned Oscars hosting gig in 2011 alongside James Franco. Critics lambasted the duo for their lack of chemistry and mismatched energy. Franco later remarked on The Late Show with David Letterman that Hathaway was so energetic that 'the Tasmanian Devil would look stoned standing next to Anne Hathaway.' Hathaway, in turn, described the hosting experience as a 'no-win situation,' adding that Franco 'didn't give [her] anything' to work with.
That same year, her casting as Catwoman in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises drew criticism from fans who deemed her not 'sexy' enough for the role. As the criticism mounted, every role and public appearance came under intense scrutiny, with attacks also targeting her physical appearance.
Psychological Analysis of the 'Pile-On'
In 2013, The New York Times published an article titled 'Do We Really Hate Anne Hathaway?' in which psychologists examined the phenomenon. P. M. Forni, founder of the Civility Initiative at Johns Hopkins University, suggested that the 'pile-on' effect was at play. 'The sensation of belonging to a group of like-minded people activates the pleasure centers of the brain,' he explained. 'At a certain point, what happened to Ms. Hathaway acquired momentum, and people were willing to be part of that.' He compared the dynamics to cyberbullying. Jack Goncalo, an associate professor at Cornell University, added that mob mentality could be responsible, noting that people often rely on the majority to do their thinking for them.
Christopher Nolan's Intervention
Amid the backlash, Hathaway stepped away from the public eye, later telling Huffington Post that she felt 'people needed a break from me.' However, director Christopher Nolan came to her rescue by casting her as the lead in his 2014 blockbuster Interstellar when other opportunities were drying up. Reflecting on this, Hathaway told Vanity Fair in 2024: 'A lot of people wouldn't give me roles because they were so concerned about how toxic my identity had become online. I had an angel in Christopher Nolan, who did not care about that and gave me one of the most beautiful roles I've had.' She added that she does not know if Nolan was aware of the impact of his support, but it saved her career from losing momentum.
Hathaway went on to secure roles in Ocean's 8, Hustle, and WeCrashed, with the tide of public opinion eventually turning as self-proclaimed 'Hatha-haters' were condemned by social media users. However, the damage left a lasting mark. During a Women in Hollywood speech in 2022, she revealed: 'This was a language I had employed with myself since I was seven. And when your self-inflicted pain is suddenly amplified back at you at the full volume of the internet... It's a thing.' She also told Vanity Fair that humiliation is a difficult experience, but the key is to remain bold and not close oneself off. 'If you want to stay safe, don't be an actor,' she said. 'You're a tightrope walker. You're a daredevil. You have to give them something worth their time and care. And if it's not costing you anything, what are you really offering?'
Current Status
Now, Hathaway has been fully embraced by Hollywood and is receiving rave reviews for her role in The Devil Wears Prada 2. She has four more films in production, including Nolan's upcoming project The Odyssey and the film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's bestseller Verity. However, she remains somewhat vulnerable to public scrutiny. Fans recently called her out for posing with Blake Lively at the Met Gala on Monday evening, just hours after Lively settled her legal battle with co-star Justin Baldoni. A photo of the pair went viral, with comments such as 'Get away from her Anne! She'll sue you' and 'Gross. Thought Anne was working on making the public like her again.'
