Anne Hathaway's The Princess Diaries has everything early 2000s teen movies became known for (a quirky house! An unbeatable soundtrack! Friendships and romance!), and add a magical touch to everything. Who DIDN'T want to be a princess after watching this movie? So it's no surprise that the first movie (and Princess Diaries 2) made just as much of an impact on Anne Hathaway as it has on the rest of us! During an interview with Vanity Fair, Anne got emotional remembering how special the movie felt when she was making it.
"This was the film that changed my life," she says. "Like it's so weird to watch it. I haven't seen this movie in maybe 20 years and I'm a little bit speechless with this one...It's very emotional to see it."
"It felt so big at the time, and it wound up being so big, and it's kind of just gotten bigger as my life has progressed," she continues. "So this is a total fusion of life and work, and all the things, and I'm just so proud to be in this movie."
In addition to raving about the film itself, Anne Hathaway also shared some behind the scenes facts about one of the movie's most iconic scenes: Mia's makeover!
Anne Hathaway's Princess Diaries Makeover Scene
Image via Buena Vista Pictures/Walt Disney Studios
Love it or hate it, the "makeover" is one scene that became a hallmark of 90s and 00s movies. She's All That, Clueless, and even Anne Hathaway's The Devil Wears Prada feature this kind of physical transformation. My favorite makeover scene is the one Mia undergoes in The Princess Diaries because it's just so funny and unserious. And the most memorable moment for me has always been when stylist Paolo winds up breaking his wooden hairbrush in Mia's curly hair.
"He really had to break the brush in this," Anne reveals. "They pre-broke the brush and it was supposed to break kind of easily, but it didn't quite happen. So that's me and Larry [Miller] kind of improv-ing, trying to get it to go and I don't remember if the 'ow' was real or if I was just buying him some time. But the brush was being stubborn that day."
In my mind, the only scene that surpasses the OG makeover is the pre-wedding glam that happens in Princess Dairies 2. Anne Hathaway's "I look like a moose" and Larry Miller's "But a cute moose, make all the boy moose go wah" has gone down in film history.
Are Julie Andrews and Anne Hathaway friends?
Image via Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for Princess Grace Foundation
Anne Hathaway also talks about how special working with Julie Andrews was, especially since this was Anne's first film! "I was 17 years old when we made this," she says. "So I hadn't met as many people yet in my life. And so I knew Garry Marshall was really special and I knew Julie Andrews was really special."
Now that she's grown older, with more roles (and even an Oscar) under her belt, Anne Hathaway gets emotional remembering the experience: "Now sitting here watching this from this point of view, they are two of the most magical people I have ever met."
Where can I watch The Princess Diaries?
Image via Buena Vista Pictures/Walt Disney Studios
You can watch The Princess Diaries on Disney+ now, which is also where you can find Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement!
How old was Anne Hathaway in Princess Diaries?
Image via Buena Vista Pictures/Walt Disney Studios
Anne Hathaway was 17 years old when they started filming The Princess Diaries. Her character Mia is 15 years old, and a sophom*ore in high school. The Princess Diaries 2 opens with Mia preparing to celebrate her 21st birthday, and in real life, Anne turned 21 during filming!
What is Mia's full name in Anne Hathaway's movie The Princess Diaries?
Image via Buena Vista Pictures/Walt Disney Studios
Mia's name in the Princess Diaries movies is Amelia Mignonette Thermopolis Renaldi. This is slightly different than her name in the books, which is Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo.
What's your favorite moment from Anne Hathaway's Princess Diaries? Let us know on Facebook and check out the latest news on Princess Diaries 3!
Lead image via Buena Vista Pictures/Walt Disney Studios
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Chloe Williams
Chloe Williams serves as B+C’s Entertainment Editor and resident Taylor Swift expert. Whether she’s writing a movie review or interviewing the stars of the latest hit show, Chloe loves exploring why stories inspire us. You can see her work published in BuzzFeed, Coastal Review, and North Beach Sun. When she’s not writing, Chloe’s probably watching a Marvel movie with a cherry co*ke or texting her sister about the latest celebrity news. Say hi at @thechloewilliams on Insta and @popculturechlo on Twitter!
