After Jacob Elordi’s Divisive Comments About “The Kissing Booth” Went Viral, Anne Hathaway’s Emotional Reaction To “The Princess Diaries” Is Sparking Praise

“This woman has an Oscar and yet she got emotional at what she could’ve easily written off as the ‘little teenybopper movie’ she did at the beginning of her career.”

Anne Hathway watched The Princess Diaries for the first time in decades, and her reaction was everything fans hoped it’d be.

closeup of her smiling at a sxsw event

In a new video with Vanity Fair, Anne sat down to reflect on her Hollywood career, starting with “the film that changed [her] life” — The Princess Diaries.

closeup of her smiling

As you’ll know, Anne starred in the 2001 classic as Mia Thermopolis, heir to the throne of the fictional land of Genovia. It remains one of her best-loved performances to date, so much so that she returned for a second movie in 2004 — and may even come back for a third.

anne waving and standing next to julie andrews

While rewatching a clip from the film that helped launch her career, Anne was overcome with emotion as she expressed how special it was to work with the likes of Julie Andrews and director Garry Marshall at such a young age.

Anne Hathaway in a dark blazer, seated, gesturing mid-interview with books in the background

Admitting that it’d been “maybe 20 years” since she last watched the film, Anne became visibly choked up, holding back tears as she said: “I'm a little bit speechless with this one. Actually, it's very emotional to see it.”

Of course, Anne has come a long way since her days in Genovia, and in light of what a successful career she’s had, fans loved hearing her talk so fondly about The Princess Diaries — particularly when many actors aren’t so proud of where they started.

Anne Hathaway wearing a strapless gown and drop earrings at a formal event

As you might remember, Anne’s emotional comments come only a few months after Jacob Elordi sparked a viral debate over his criticism of The Kissing Booth franchise, which turned him into an overnight sensation in 2018 before he was cast in Euphoria.

Jacob wearing a pinstripe suit at 'The Kissing Booth' premiere

In light of the fact he’s taken on more highbrow roles in recent years, Jacob was accused of being “pretentious” by disregarding his earlier work, which was targeted towards a younger female audience.

closeup of jacob

So, if you’re in the mood for a trip down memory lane, here’s where you can watch Anne react to some of her most iconic movie moments with Vanity Fair.

View this video on YouTube

Vanity Fair / Disney / YouTube
Skip to footer