These Are the 8 Best Anne Hathaway Movies

Sophie Hanson

Posted: April 30, 2024 | Last updated: April 30, 2024

<p class="body-dropcap">Serious question: Have you ever met an Anne Hathaway film you didn’t like? A brief look over her list of acting credentials shows an impressive mix of rom-coms, relationship dramas, the postmodern cinematic stylings of director Christopher Nolan, and a slew of awards—not to mention, she’s the undisputed queen of the onscreen glow up. Here, we reflect on Hathaway’s best work. </p>

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Serious question: Have you ever met an Anne Hathaway film you didn’t like? A brief look over her list of acting credentials shows an impressive mix of rom-coms, relationship dramas, the postmodern cinematic stylings of director Christopher Nolan, and a slew of awards—not to mention, she’s the undisputed queen of the onscreen glow up. Here, we reflect on Hathaway’s best work.

<p> Aspiring news journalist Andy Sachs (Hathaway) takes a job as an editorial assistant at a high-fashion magazine under the icy leadership of Editor-in-Chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Despite landing a job that “a million girls would kill for,” Andy isn’t one of them and rather sees the role as a mere stepping-stone. After creative director Nigel’s blistering lecture about her seemingly ungrateful attitude, Andy literally pulls herself up by her Chanel bootstraps and gets to work, testing her personal relationships in the process. You probably don't need us to tell you that this movie is infinitely rewatchable.</p><p><a class="body-btn-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.faa9f789-522a-08be-d9f4-1f8773c1fbf9?autoplay=1&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb&tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10049.g.45688173%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p>

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1) The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

Aspiring news journalist Andy Sachs (Hathaway) takes a job as an editorial assistant at a high-fashion magazine under the icy leadership of Editor-in-Chief Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep). Despite landing a job that “a million girls would kill for,” Andy isn’t one of them and rather sees the role as a mere stepping-stone. After creative director Nigel’s blistering lecture about her seemingly ungrateful attitude, Andy literally pulls herself up by her Chanel bootstraps and gets to work, testing her personal relationships in the process. You probably don't need us to tell you that this movie is infinitely rewatchable.

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<p> When you were five, did you ever say you wanted to be a princess when you grew up? It’s a childhood fantasy that plays out for unpopular 15-year-old Mia Thermopolis when she discovers her father is Crown Prince Philippe Renaldi of Genovia. High school is awkward enough to navigate, but now Mia must contend with the realities of being actual royalty, including a barrage of tabloid interest in her private life and a handful of fake friends looking for their own 15 minutes of fame. The film, based on the novels by Meg Cabot, was Hathaway’s first big-screen role, and she's <a href="https://people.com/movies/anne-hathaway-princess-diaries-julie-andrews/">said</a> that being able to hug costar Julie Andrews every day was “a dream."</p><p><a class="body-btn-link" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1553576&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2Fvideo%2F74e4e738-8d2b-4260-ad21-4c99f4484218%3FdistributionPartner%3Dgoogle&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cosmopolitan.com%2Fentertainment%2Fmovies%2Fg45688173%2Ffavorite-anne-hathaway-movie1%2F">Shop Now</a></p>

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2) The Princess Diaries (2001)

When you were five, did you ever say you wanted to be a princess when you grew up? It’s a childhood fantasy that plays out for unpopular 15-year-old Mia Thermopolis when she discovers her father is Crown Prince Philippe Renaldi of Genovia. High school is awkward enough to navigate, but now Mia must contend with the realities of being actual royalty, including a barrage of tabloid interest in her private life and a handful of fake friends looking for their own 15 minutes of fame. The film, based on the novels by Meg Cabot, was Hathaway’s first big-screen role, and she's said that being able to hug costar Julie Andrews every day was “a dream."

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<p>Have the tissues ready. Set in the 1990s, when erectile dysfunction drug Viagra had just hit the market, <em>Love and Other Drugs</em> stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the womanizing (actually kind of predatory, upon reflection) pharmaceutical salesman Jamie. During a chance encounter, he meets the free-spirited Maggie (Hathaway). Both maintain they aren’t looking for a serious relationship, but what starts out as a casual fling becomes much more complicated as feelings develop. The lighthearted romantic comedy shifts gears when Maggie’s medical diagnosis is revealed, and the two characters question where their relationship is headed.</p><p><a class="body-btn-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.5ea9f7a0-4edc-f404-4657-9c0fe88381a6?autoplay=1&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb&tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10049.g.45688173%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p>

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3) Love & Other Drugs (2010)

Have the tissues ready. Set in the 1990s, when erectile dysfunction drug Viagra had just hit the market, Love and Other Drugs stars Jake Gyllenhaal as the womanizing (actually kind of predatory, upon reflection) pharmaceutical salesman Jamie. During a chance encounter, he meets the free-spirited Maggie (Hathaway). Both maintain they aren’t looking for a serious relationship, but what starts out as a casual fling becomes much more complicated as feelings develop. The lighthearted romantic comedy shifts gears when Maggie’s medical diagnosis is revealed, and the two characters question where their relationship is headed.

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4) Interstellar (2014)

In a dystopian future where climate change, dust storms, and lack of resources make Earth close to uninhabitable, Hathaway plays Dr. Amelia Brand, the chief scientist of an expedition dedicated to relocating the human race. She plays opposite Matthew McConaughey as Cooper, a retired engineer and former NASA pilot, who journeys with Brand on a quest to find a planet suitable to give civilization another chance at survival.

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<p>Hathaway scored more than 10 awards for her performance as Fantine, a factory seamstress-turned-sex worker in the onscreen adaptation of Victor Hugo’s epic novel. The accolades are even more impressive considering that, in a three-hour-long film, Hathaway gets only about half an hour of total screen time. We can respect anyone who can sing like that while making it clear their character is having an emotional breakdown.</p><p><a class="body-btn-link" href="https://www.netflix.com/title/70244167">WATCH NOW</a></p>

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5) Les Misérables (2012)

Hathaway scored more than 10 awards for her performance as Fantine, a factory seamstress-turned-sex worker in the onscreen adaptation of Victor Hugo’s epic novel. The accolades are even more impressive considering that, in a three-hour-long film, Hathaway gets only about half an hour of total screen time. We can respect anyone who can sing like that while making it clear their character is having an emotional breakdown.

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<p> Superheroes are all the rage now, but back in 2012, the freight train that would become the Marvel Cinematic Universe was really only just picking up momentum. In the final installment of Christopher Nolan's trio of noir-ish <em>Batman</em> films, Hathaway plays Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman (though she’s never referred to as such), a smooth-talking, “slinky” (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMEWz9uzlF4&t=214s&ab_channel=BBCRadio1">Hathaway’s words</a>) thief looking for a fresh start. Bruce Wayne, meanwhile, has gone into hiding, only to emerge when the people of Gotham face yet another threat to their existence.</p><p><a class="body-btn-link" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1553576&url=https%3A%2F%2Fplay.hbomax.com%2Ffeature%2Furn%3Ahbo%3Afeature%3AGYDQXMgVDW8LDGgEAAAAF%3Fcamp%3DgoogleHBOMAX&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cosmopolitan.com%2Fentertainment%2Fmovies%2Fg45688173%2Ffavorite-anne-hathaway-movie1%2F">Shop Now</a></p>

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6) The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Superheroes are all the rage now, but back in 2012, the freight train that would become the Marvel Cinematic Universe was really only just picking up momentum. In the final installment of Christopher Nolan's trio of noir-ish Batman films, Hathaway plays Selina Kyle, a.k.a. Catwoman (though she’s never referred to as such), a smooth-talking, “slinky” (Hathaway’s words) thief looking for a fresh start. Bruce Wayne, meanwhile, has gone into hiding, only to emerge when the people of Gotham face yet another threat to their existence.

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<p>In this magical world, each child is given a “virtuous gift” at birth by a fairy godmother. Ella’s, however, is unquestionable obedience, which feels more like a curse. So Ella embarks on a quest to find her fairy godmother and undo the spell, demonstrating her sense of conviction and moral strength. It's a fun play on the fairy-tale genre, and it lets Hathaway show off her incredible singing chops.</p><p><a class="body-btn-link" href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/video/detail/amzn1.dv.gti.a6a9f73e-3eec-f07d-60da-1066b2205f05?autoplay=1&ref_=atv_cf_strg_wb&tag=syndication-20&ascsubtag=%5Bartid%7C10049.g.45688173%5Bsrc%7Cmsn-us">Shop Now</a></p>

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7) Ella Enchanted (2004)

In this magical world, each child is given a “virtuous gift” at birth by a fairy godmother. Ella’s, however, is unquestionable obedience, which feels more like a curse. So Ella embarks on a quest to find her fairy godmother and undo the spell, demonstrating her sense of conviction and moral strength. It's a fun play on the fairy-tale genre, and it lets Hathaway show off her incredible singing chops.

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<p> Though not nearly as beloved as the first installment, <em>The</em> <em>Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement</em> did introduce the world to Chris Pine as Lord Nicholas Devereaux, so for that, we are eternally grateful. Five years after the first movie, Princess Mia has graduated from Princeton and arrived in Genovia ready to tackle her royal duties. Mia is horrified to learn, though, that if she’s to become queen in this patriarchal monarchy, she must marry within a month. Shenanigans ensue when she's sabotaged by Nicholas, who is set to inherit the crown should Mia fail.</p><p><a class="body-btn-link" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=74968X1553576&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2Fmovies%2Fthe-princess-diaries-2-royal-engagement%2F1QSMvAfkfO9z&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cosmopolitan.com%2Fentertainment%2Fmovies%2Fg45688173%2Ffavorite-anne-hathaway-movie1%2F">Shop Now</a></p>

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8) Honorable Mention: The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)

Though not nearly as beloved as the first installment, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement did introduce the world to Chris Pine as Lord Nicholas Devereaux, so for that, we are eternally grateful. Five years after the first movie, Princess Mia has graduated from Princeton and arrived in Genovia ready to tackle her royal duties. Mia is horrified to learn, though, that if she’s to become queen in this patriarchal monarchy, she must marry within a month. Shenanigans ensue when she's sabotaged by Nicholas, who is set to inherit the crown should Mia fail.

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