Anne Hathaway Says Chemistry Tests Were ‘Gross’ in the Early 2000s: ‘Now We Know Better’

Samantha Bergeson
·3 min read
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Anne Hathaway says the chemistry tests for early 2000s rom-coms were “gross.”

Thankfully, that has changed, the star of “The Princess Diaries,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” and “Love and Other Drugs” told V magazine.

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“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,” Hathaway said. “I was told, ‘We have ten 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.”

The Oscar winner worried about being called “difficult” for not adhering to the industry standards at the time.

“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,” Hathaway said. “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.”

While casting romantic drama “The Idea of You,” which Hathaway stars in and produces, the actress recalled finding her perfect co-lead in rising triple threat talent Nicholas Galitzine.

“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 improv. 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,” Hathaway said of how her male lead was cast. “We had met a number of young men already, but I remember laughing when Nick walked in because he was so ridiculously perfect for the part. I just thought, he is it.”

Of course, Hathaway had to confirm that Galitzine had all of the (actual) necessary requirements for the role, though.

“Is he gonna be able to read the lines? Read the lines, great. OK, can you sing? Oh, my God, he can sing. Wait and he can play the guitar? OK, and he’s just fun to be around. He’s just charming. Like, he’s just charmed this entire room,” Hathaway said, noting that Galitzine selected a song from Alabama Shakes for his audition.

“And it was just easy,” Hathaway said. “I heard [the lead singer of Alabama Shake’s] Brittany’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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