Actress Anne Hathaway Recalls Being Required To Make Out w/ 10 Different Men During ‘Gross’ 2000s Chemistry Test
Actress Anne Hathaway Recalls Being Required To Make Out w/ 10 Different Men During ‘Gross’ 2000s Chemistry Test
Hollywood is nowhere near perfect, but the industry has come a long way!
Many may know Anne Hathaway from playing Mia Thermopolis in the Whitney Houston-produced film “The Princess Diaries.” The 41-year-old has only added more impressive roles to her acting résumé since her 2001 breakthrough film. However, she’s unfortunately had to endure a few unpleasant moments to secure a spot in some of those films. During a recent magazine interview, Anne Hathaway spoke on how chemistry tests between actors were conducted when she first started acting in the late 90s/early 2000s. For those who may be unaware, a chemistry test is for the casting director to see how actors interact with one another before they’re officially given the role.
Speaking on how she once had to make out with multiple men fighting for a chance to appear on screen with her, Anne Hathaway said,
“Back in the 2000s — and this did happen to me — it was considered normal to ask an actor to make out with other actors to test for chemistry, which is actually the worst way to do it. I was told, ‘We have 10 guys coming today and you’re cast. Aren’t you excited to make out with all of them?’ And I thought, ‘Is there something wrong with me?’ because I wasn’t excited. I thought it sounded gross.”
Hathaway didn’t name the film that required her to have intimate kisses during the casting process, but she did allude it was one of her earlier projects.
“I was so young and terribly aware how easy it was to lose everything by being labeled ‘difficult,’ so I just pretended I was excited and got on with it. It wasn’t a power play, no one was trying to be awful or hurt me. It was just a very different time and now we know better.”
In addition to a leading role in the upcoming film “The Idea of You,” Hathaway is a producer. Speaking on how she made sure the casting process was respectful for the hopefuls who auditioned for a part in the movie, she said,
“We asked each of the actors coming in to choose a song that they felt their character would love, that they would put on to get my character to dance, and then we’d do a short little improv. I was sitting in a chair like we had come in from dinner or a walk or something, we pressed play, and we just started dancing together.”
English actor Nicholas Galitzine was the lucky guy who landed the part of Hathaway’s love interest. He did so by choosing a song by the Alabama Shakes for his audition.
Hathaway shared,
“I heard [the lead singer of Alabama Shake’s] Brittany’s voice and I just started smiling. And he saw me smile, so he relaxed, and we just started dancing. Nobody was showing off. Nobody was trying to get the gig. We were just in a space dancing. I looked over and Michael Showalter, our director, was beaming. Spark!”
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[VIA]