For Anne Hathaway, acting came naturally; she faced the camera for the first time at 19, and it was only upward for her thereon. The Hollywood star has an impressive list of filmography ranging across rom-coms, action, drama and sci-fi. And let’s not forget that infectious smile that always lights up a room! Let’s take a look at some of our favourite films starring the celebrity as lead and in support.
1. The Princess Diaries 1 & 2
As the first film that I watched as a little girl in school, this film has my heart. Who doesn’t want to be a princess just like Mia Thermopolis, right? She is generous, kind, responsible and most importantly, human, which is why every girl connects with her character even more. She falls in love with the cutest boy (yes, we’re talking about Chris Pine). We can watch both instalments repeatedly (but Princess Diaries 2 more often, because well, Chris Pine) and all we wish for is a third (yes, with Anne and Chris Pine!).
2. Love & Other Drugs
Join the club if you cried every time you watched this emotional film. Anne Hathaway received solid appreciation for this role and rightly so. She plays Maggie, a young woman suffering from early onset Parkinson’s Disease, who meets Jamie Randall (the super hot Jake Gyllenhaal), a pharmaceutical sales representative and a womaniser. Both fall in love but Maggie is too afraid to get into a serious relationship because she doesn’t want to be a burden on anyone. Their relationship undergoes challenges but eventually Jamie comes through to become the man of her dreams. Here’s wishing he becomes ours too.
3. Bride Wars
Are you even best friends if you haven’t planned your wedding for each other? Bride Wars shows us exactly that. Two childhood besties, Liv (Kate Hudson) and Emma (Anne), have always dreamed of getting married at New York’s idyllic Plaza Hotel. You have to wait months to get a reservation and both end up booking the same date. That’s when the war begins. From insulting each other to replacing hair dyes to blue, and spray tans that go two shades darker, you see their inner demons come out. NGL, it’s fun to watch because it’s relatable–we’ve all acted silly out of jealousy and eventually made up with our BFF.
4. The Intern
Anne and Robert De Niro are individually superb actors, so when you put them together in a film, expect nothing short of a phenomenon. Jules (Anne) is the strong and confident CEO of a thriving fashion website and Ben (De Niro) joins there as an intern because he’s bored of his idle retirement life. Although their relationship is a bit awkward in the beginning, Jules and Ben slowly form a beautiful friendship. Remember the scene when Ben takes care of drunk Jules or the time they’re both sitting in their robes and discussing about their personal lives–those are friendship goals for sure!
5. The Devil Wears Prada
It true that we all appreciated Meryl Streep’s portrayal of the ruthless fashion editor Miranda Priestly. But she couldn’t have done it without Anne’s Andy, an aspiring journalist. From being a disinterested fashion assistant (in dowdy clothes, no less) to suddenly getting sucked into the glam fashion world with a fashion makeover to the boot, Andy’s journey is full of curve balls that turn into a learning curve. She makes mistakes, eventually understands the true nature of the fashion media space, and gets her ticket out to be what she truly wanted to be–a respectable journalist.
6. Get Smart
Had a hectic work week? Then this film is a must-watch when you’re in need for a good laugh. Newly promoted spy Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell) partners with the experienced Agent 99 (Anne) to take down a terrorist group from carrying out their dangerous plan. Steve’s comic timing coupled with Anne’s sharp dialogue delivery and action sequences make a strong case for this entertaining watch.
7. Les Misérables
Anne Hathaway received an Academy Award for her role in this musical—she played Fantine, a doomed factory worker who resorted to prostitution to send her daughter money. It’s an intense watch but if you’re into cinema, you absolutely cannot miss this one for Anne’s stellar performance.
Oh, and did I mention we’d like to see Anne and Chris Pine together, once again?
Photographs: Pinterest