Anne Hathaway reflects on Hollywood struggles, calls it her ‘longest unbroken awkward phase’
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Actress Anne Hathaway has opened up about her personal journey while appearing on People’s 2026 'World’s Most Beautiful' cover. In a candid conversation, the actress reflected on years of discomfort and self-doubt that extended far longer than expected.
Her remarks come as she prepares for the release of 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' on Friday, May 1, offering a deeper look at how those experiences shaped both her career and her perspective on confidence and representation.
Anne Hathaway reflects on ‘longest unbroken awkward phase’ in Hollywood
Speaking in the cover story, Hathaway described going through what she called the “longest unbroken awkward phase in Hollywood,” adding that it lasted well into her late 30s. Charlotte Triggs, People’s Editor-in-Chief, who spoke with the actress, expressed some uncertainty.
“Pretty sure I knew, because I was inside of it,” Hathaway responded with a laugh. She further explained, “I just didn’t feel like I could get comfortable anywhere. I would want to walk into a room and just be chill and hang out, but I couldn’t quite find my footing.”
The actress traced these feelings back to her childhood, when she found communication difficult and experienced stress and anxiety while speaking. Acting became a refuge during that time because it allowed her to rely on memorized lines rather than spontaneous conversation.
Hathaway rose to prominence at the age of 18 with a breakthrough role in 'The Princess Diaries.' She also acknowledged that the years-long awkward phase only came to an end recently, around the time turning 40 marked a shift in perspective.
She stated, “All of a sudden, the dress rehearsal was over. I was like, it was never a dress rehearsal. It was life. It’s been happening the whole time. Turning 40, I just kind of found a different gear, and I was no longer interested in living an awkward life. I was just interested in getting to the fun part.”
Anne Hathaway pushes for body diversity in ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’
The actress also noted, “There’s no fear anymore,” adding that “it’s already gone as badly as it could, and so what am I so scared of? It happening again? Whatever. I’ll be okay.”
Her co-star Meryl Streep made headlines last month after revealing that Hathaway raised concerns with producers on the set of their upcoming movie about avoiding the use of models who appeared excessively thin. “I was struck by how not only beautiful and young — everyone seems young to me — but alarmingly thin the models were,” Streep said.
She continued, “I thought that all had been addressed years ago. Annie clocked it too, and she made a beeline to the producers about it, securing promises that the models in the show that we were putting together for our film would not be so skeletal! She’s a stand-up girl.”
Speaking to Variety at the film’s worldwide premiere, Hathaway elaborated on the decision to address the issue. “I had noticed that we had beautiful models on set, and a lot of them were more traditionally model-sized,” she said on the red carpet.
She further emphasized, “I knew what the context of the scene was, and I thought the scene would be so much more enjoyable for the audience if we had just a wider range of bodies on display, because all different shapes are beautiful.”
Hathaway continues to rank among Hollywood’s most in-demand actors, with a packed slate this year that includes 'Mother Mary,' 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' Christopher Nolan’s 'The Odyssey,' 'Verity' based on a novel by Colleen Hoover, and 'The End of Oak Street.'
