Anne Hathaway Reflects on the "Hatehatehate" She's Dealt With Since Her Oscar Win in 2013
By giving an empowering and moving speech.
There’s no doubt Anne Hathaway is super talented, but in the last decade or so, a big chunk of the internet has focused on disliking her instead, which kicked off the “hatehatehate” trend. Now, the actor is reflecting on her life since then.
The “hatehatehate” began after Hathaway won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2013 for her portrayal of Fantine in Les Misérables. Hathaway addressed the harsh criticism during her acceptance speech at Elle’s 29th annual Women in Hollywood event.
She said, “Ten years ago, I was given an opportunity to look at the language of hatred from a new perspective. For context — this was a language I had employed with myself since I was seven. And when your self-inflicted pain is suddenly somehow amplified back at you at, say, the full volume of the internet … It’s a thing.”
Hathaway continued, “When it happened to me, I realized that this wasn’t it. This wasn’t the spot. When what happened, happened, I realized I had no desire to have anything to do with this line of energy, on any level. I would no longer create art from this place. I would no longer hold space for it, live in fear of it, nor speak its language for any reason, to anyone, including myself.”
She added, “We don’t have enough time to discuss all the myriad causes of the violent language of hatred, and the imperative need to end it. Because there is a difference between existence and behavior. You can judge behavior. You can forgive behavior or not. But you do not have the right to judge — and especially not hate — someone for existing. And if you do, you’re not where it’s at.”
The actor concluded, “Hate seems to me to be the opposite of life; in soil that harsh, nothing can grow properly, if at all. I want to say: Be happy for women. Period. Especially be happy for high-achieving women. Like, it’s not that hard.”
For the full transcript of her moving speech, click here.
