7 Best Anne Hathaway performances
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Whether it is a lightweight, comedy, dark, sexy or dramatic role, Anne Hathaway proves to be a versatile actress who can switch from one genre to another with varying degrees of success.
This year, she plays an alcoholic in Nacho Vigalondo's offbeat sci-fi comedy, "Colossal". Already released in the U.S. last month to largely positive responses, it's finally nice to see that the movie will make its way into our cinemas.
To coincide with "Colossal", here are seven of Hathaway's best performances to date throughout her career.
1. "The Princess Diaries" (2001)
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"The Princess Diaries" is best remembered as Anne Hathaway's big-screen debut after her brief TV stint in the short-lived series, "Get Real". Back then, Hathaway was practically a nobody in Hollywood. But this feel-good Disney movie turned out to be a surprise hit at the box office. Hathaway's transformative role as Mia Thermopolis from a geeky student to a radiant princess is one of the major factors that contributes towards the success of the movie. It also helps that she pairs well with "The Sound Of Music" vet Julie Andrews, who made her comeback performance as Mia's royal grandmother, Clarisse Renaldi. Ironically, like the movie's "ugly duckling turns into a beautiful swan" premise, it perfectly mirrors Hathaway's acting career from an unknown actress to a bright Hollywood star.
2. "Brokeback Mountain" (2005)
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In Ang Lee's controversial gay Western "Brokeback Mountain", Anne Hathaway successfully sheds her girl-next-door image from her "Princess Diaries" era, going as far as stripping naked to portray the estranged wife to Jake Gyllenhaal's Jack Twist. Although Heath Ledger and Gyllenhaal steal most of the show as the gay couple, Hathaway manages to make good use of her minor role and proves she can handle a dramatic role.
3. "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006)
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"The Devil Wears Prada" may have famously known for Meryl Streep's Oscar-nominated performance as the ruthless magazine editor, Miranda Priestly, but Anne Hathaway, who plays aspiring junior writer Andy Sachs, proves she can hold her own against a Hollywood acting legend like Meryl Streep.
4. "Rachel Getting Married" (2008)
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Anne Hathaway, whose emotionally conflicted and revealing performance as Kym in Jonathan Demme's acclaimed dysfunctional family drama, "Rachel Getting Married", rightfully earned her first Oscar nomination for Best Actress. Although it was a pity she lost to Kate Winslet for "The Reader" at the 81st Academy Awards, the movie has firmly established Hathaway as a multi-talented actress who can leap from comedy to serious drama with relative ease.
5. "Love & Other Drugs" (2010)
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Edward Zwick's "Love & Other Drugs" about a pharmaceuticals rep (Jake Gyllenhaal), who falls in love with a first-stage Parkinson's patient (Anne Hathaway) may have been an uneven mix of bittersweet romantic dramedy and corporate slice-of-life drama, but the movie is largely saved by Gyllenhaal and Hathaway, in which their onscreen chemistry feels genuine like a lived-in couple. While Gyllenhaal delivers a fine performance as Jamie Randall, it was Hathaway's charming yet sympathetic turn who stole most of the show as Maggie Murdock.
6. "The Dark Knight Rises" (2012)
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Mention the word "Catwoman", most movie fans would easily agree that Michelle Pfeiffer's iconic role in 1992's "Batman Returns" remains the best screen iteration ever seen. So, when Anne Hathaway was first cast as Selina Kyle/Catwoman in "The Dark Knight Rises", many people were originally sceptical about Christopher Nolan's risky casting choice. But Hathaway proved her naysayers wrong as she successfully delivers a feisty, yet memorable portrayal that pairs well alongside the rest of the solid ensemble cast including Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne/Batman and Tom Hardy as Bane.
7. "Les Miserables" (2012)
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2012 was especially a banner year for Anne Hathaway. Following her acclaimed performance in "The Dark Knight Rises", she received rave reviews for her role as the doomed Fantine in Tom Hooper's big-screen musical of "Les Miserables". Despite the star-studded cast including Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe, it was Hathaway that excelled the most. The way she sings her heart out during "I Dreamed A Dream" is so emotionally raw and devastating that even her (live) singing co-stars pale in comparison. Her heartfelt role, of course, finally earned her well-deserved first Oscar win in the Best Supporting Actress category.
