Anne Hathawayrecalled going through a “gross” screen test that required her to “make out” with 10 different men to allow the casting directors to see who had the best on-screen chemistry. The Oscar-winning star has become one of the most versatile actresses in Hollywood, and while discussing hernew romantic dramaThe Idea of You, she mused on how much different casting in such movies is now compared to 20 years ago.
Although Hathaway did not mention the movie by name, she toldV Magazinethat the team behind the project wanted her to spend time kissing 10 different potential co-stars so they could work out which one was perfect for the role. She 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.”
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Hathaway, who has starred in a diverse range of movies includingThe Dark Knight Rises,Alice in Wonderland, andLes Miserables, continued to make note that there was never anything malicious or intimidating about the process, but it was “a very different time.” She added:
“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.”
Anne Hathaway Used Dancing to Decide Her The Idea of You Co-Star
The Idea of Youstars Hathaway as a 40-year-old single mother who falls in love with the lead singer of the world’s biggest boy band. Casting has changed a lot in the last two decades, and as producer on the movie, Hathaway had much more say in how they decided on her young co-star. She continued:
“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 improve. 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.”
In the end, Nicholas Galitzine wowed Hathaway and the production team, winning the part after selecting an Alabama Shakes song. The actress recalled how instantly perfect the actor was for the job.
“And it was just easy. I heard [lead singer] Brittany [Howard]’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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The actress, who got her big break in Disney’s The Princess Diaries, wasn’t viewed as conventionally sexy at the start of her Hollywood career.
It seems that the process of deciding on who would be playingthe object of Hathaway’s affection inThe Idea of Youwas very successful, as the movie has been pulling in very positive vibes after a screening at SXSW Film Festival earlier this year. No kissing required. Audiences will get the chance to share their own opinions on the film in May, but so far the adaptation of Robinne Lee’s novel is holding a near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes score of 95%.
The Idea of Youis released on Prime Video from May 2.
