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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Entertainment
Lizzie Edmonds

Anne Hathaway: I feared for my career at 35 but now women have greater longevity in Hollywood

Anne Hathaway has said she's grateful more women in Hollywood are having "careers deeper into their lives" - admitting she was worried her acting prospects would "fall off a cliff" in her mid-30s.

The actress, 40, who started acting as a teenager, said women in Hollywood are now enjoying greater longevity in their careers.

However, in a new interview with PORTER - NET-A-PORTER’s digital magazine - she said there was still “much to fix” when it came to equality on the big and small screen. 

Hathaway, known for her roles in Les Misérables, The Devil Wears Prada, Interstellar and The Princess Diaries, said: “When I started out [in this industry] as a child, I was warned that my career would fall off a cliff at the age of 35, which is something I know a lot of women face. 

Anne Hathaway (Cass Bird for PORTER)

“The thing that has evolved during [that time] is that more women are having careers deeper into their lives, which I think is fantastic. Obviously, it doesn’t mean we should have a ticker tape parade – someone said this to me the other day: ‘There’s so much to be proud of and there’s so much to fix.’”

Despite winning numerous accolades - including an Oscar, an Emmy, a BAFTA and a Golden Globe - and much praise for her work during her career, Hathaway said she continued to be “ambitious” and had goals she was working towards.

“I’ve always been really upfront about being an ambitious person,” she told the publication. “I have goals, I have dreams; they don’t look much different than they did when I was [younger], but I’m still pursuing them.”

Hathaway is married to actor and businessman Adam Shulman, sharing two sons - born in 2016 and 2019 - with the star.

Anne Hathaway (Cass Bird for PORTER)

She said keeping her work and private life separate was “essential” for her wellbeing and the privacy of her family. 

She said: “It’s something I feel is not just essential for my health – I’m on a team, it’s my family, and it’s not just about me.”

This year, Hathaway has enjoyed somewhat of a fashion renaissance - appearing on the front row of many fashion shows showing off her new, more edgy style. The actor has been working with top stylist Erin Walsh and is also the face of the Versace Icons campaign.

She said about experimenting with fashion: “It makes not a damn bit of difference if you do it right or wrong. The point is, are you having a good time? Do you feel like yourself? And is it working with you?”

 And on her work with Italian fashion house Versace, she added: “It never occurred to me that it was at the level where they would want to associate [with] me so closely.”

To see the full interview, read PORTER here. Or download the NET-A-PORTER app for iPhone, iPad and Android. Search for NET-A-PORTER on the App Store and Google Play

(Cass Bird for PORTER)
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