Anne Hathaway says she was warned not to gain weight at the age of 16.
The 36-year-old actress believes that Hollywood has changed for the better in the last 20 years and revealed it was strongly hinted at when she booked a role during her teenage years that her weight could be an issue.
She told Allure’s September issue: "At 16 years old, it was ‘Congratulations, you have the part. I’m not saying you need to lose weight. I’m just saying don’t gain weight’. Which of course means you need to lose weight. So I had that, then 20 years later I have Ane Crabtree [costume designer for ‘The Last Thing He Wanted’] asking me what my body does on my moon – which meant my period – so she can make adjustments for me. It was just this beautiful thing. I am cautious in my praise of how Hollywood is shifting. There is so much more body inclusivity – which is great – but the thin thing is definitely still the ‘normal’ expectation."
However, Anne believes that things are looking up for women in Hollywood but she believes audiences need to get behind them.
She said: "It’s more nuanced, and it’s more interesting. It’s allowed for more interesting characters and stories. Now the big question is are audiences appreciating it? If it’s not supported, it won’t continue. It will go back to the way it was, and people will say, ‘Okay, that didn’t work.’"
Anne – who is currently expecting her second child with husband Adam Shulman – won an Oscar for the 2012 movie musical ‘Les Miserables’ and revealed her family were quite musical when she was growing up.
She said: "My family sang constantly…. I think there is no better way to express joy in a performance. Singing and dancing forces you to open yourself up to vulnerability. I don’t think anyone is expecting me to win a Grammy or anything, so I just kept my expectations realistic and did my best."
Anne Hathaway warned not to gain weight in Hollywood
