Anne Hathaway Admits She Thinks She Didn't Trust the Director of One Day Because She Was a Woman

In a new interview, Anne Hathaway reveals she's afraid that she treated the female director of "One Day" with internalized misogyny.

By Christopher Rosa. Photos: Getty Images.

For years, Anne Hathaway has been an outspoken proponent of gender equality. (Just last month, she advocated for paid parental leave at the United Nations.) But even the most woke human is still a work in progress—including Hathaway. Case in point: the internalized misogyny Hathaway fears she had while working with a female director, Lone Scherfig, on the 2011 film One Day.

In a new interview on Popcorn with Peter Travers, Hathaway admits she didn't immediately trust Scherfig on the set of One Day—and she thinks it's because she's a woman.

"It's so hard to admit," Hathaway said. "And I hope people will understand that it's hard to admit. I'm so scared that I treated [Scherfig] with internalized misogyny."

She continues, "I'm scared that I didn't give [Scherfig] everything she needed or that I should have because I was [resisting her on some level](http://www.glamour.com/story/anne-hathaway-admits-she-didnt-trust-director-of-one-day-because-she-was-a-woman)."

Hathaway says this mindset is deep-rooted, and she's unsure of its cause—but it's even informed the scripts she reads and the movies she watches.

"When I get a script, when I see a first film directed by a woman, I have in the past focused on what was wrong with it. And when I see a film directed by a man, I focus on what’s right with it," she said. "I can only acknowledge that I’ve done that and I don’t want to do that anymore."

Interestingly, Hathaway says she's "actively tried to work with female directors" even though this mindset was buried in her mind.

The Colossal star says this way of thinking might be why female directors have trouble booking gigs: People, subconsciously, underestimate their capabilities before even giving them a shot. "That journey [to become a working female director] is way harder than it should be," she said. "It’s not equal. And I wonder if it’s about the thought process like the one I just talked about. About undervaluing what it takes to make your first film."

Internalized misogyny isn't discussed that often, but it's very much a thing. When you're bombarded with messages about stereotypes on a daily basis, it's totally possible for them to seep in—even if they're very wrong. As a gay man, I can vouch for the existence of a similar concept: internalized homophobia. So many misconceptions about queer people are, unfortunately, ingrained into my psyche—but I try to clock them and think differently, which is exactly what Anne Hathaway is doing. That's admirable. We should all try to recognize our blind spots. No judgment. Just progress.

This story originally appeared on Glamour.

More from Glamour:

So This Is Why Kate Middleton Always Carries a Clutch

17 Bad Household Habits to Quit in 2017

Kate Middleton's Best Beauty Looks

The Most Popular Beauty Products on the Internet

Here's What It's Like to Work With 8 Award-Winning Women Directors

The Best Beauty Buys at Trader Joe's