Oscar winner Anne Hathaway has described a “disgusting” audition in which she had to “make out” with 10 men.
The 41-year-old star described the experience, which she said occurred in the early 2000s, as “a very different time.”
She said V Magazine: “In the 2000s – and this happened to me – it was considered normal to ask an actor to kiss with other actors to test chemistry, which is actually the worst way to do it.
“I was told, ‘We have 10 guys coming today and you’re chosen. Aren’t you excited to hug them all?’ And I thought, ‘Is there something wrong with me?’ because I wasn’t excited, I thought it looked disgusting.
“And I was so young and painfully aware of how easy it was to lose everything by being called ‘difficult,’ so I just pretended to be excited and carried on. It wasn’t a power play, no one was trying to be horrible or hurt my feelings.
“It was just a very different time and now we know better.”
Hathaway did not specify which film the audition was for or who the male actors were.
She compared the casting process to that of her upcoming romantic comedy The Idea Of You, in which she plays a 40-year-old single mother who becomes involved with a 24-year-old boy band singer.
“We asked each of the actors who came to choose a song that they thought their character would love, that they would put on to make my character dance, and then we would do a short little [improvisation]” said Hathaway.
Describing casting with 29-year-old British actor Nicholas Galitzine – who won the role – she said he chose an Alabama Shakes song and the audition was “just easy”.
She explained: “I heard [the lead singer of Alabama Shakes] Brittany’s voice and I just started smiling. And he saw me smiling, so he relaxed and we just started dancing.
“No one was showing off. No one was trying to get the gig. We were just in a space dancing. I looked over and Michael Showalter, our director, was beaming. Spark!”
Galitzine previously starred in Sky Atlantic’s Mary & George alongside Oscar winner Julianne Moore in the Prime Video comedy Red, White & Royal Blue as Prince Henry.
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Hathaway first rose to prominence in 2001 after the release of the original film The Princess Diaries alongside Dame Julie Andrews. In the interview, she discussed rumors of a third film in the franchise.
“We’re in a good position… That’s all I can say. There’s nothing to announce right now. But we’re in a good position,” she said.
The sequel to the original – The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement – was released three years after the premiere in 2004.
Hathaway also said “there’s no secret” that she would love to appear on Broadway during her career.
“[Being on Broadway] It was my first dream, you know? And so many amazing and extraordinary things have happened to me, but not this one yet. It’s a goal that is very, very alive in me,” she added.
The Idea Of You is broadcast from Thursday May 2 on Prime Video.