Anne Hathaway Opens Up About Her Decision to Be Sober, Dealing with Anxiety, and Knowing She's Sexy

Forget the "Hathahate" surrounding Anne Hathaway—it's long past time to celebrate this inspirational Hollywood actress. From Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada to Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries, she's earned a spot in rom-com royalty with her doe eyes, flirtatious grin, and reliable on-screen chemistry. In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, she reminded readers of why she is so beloved, discussing her choice to be vegan, sober, and sexy.

One of Hathaway's greatest strengths is her willingness to open up about personal topics. Throughout the interview, she touched upon many vulnerabilities, including the subject of mental health. “I’d rather not be unseated on the day [of filming] by my anxiety,” Hathaway explained. “Part of the way I can tell myself that I am okay is by having such a complete level of preparation that if I get a critical voice in my head, you can quiet it down by saying that you did everything you could to prepare.”

This diligence not only helps her to avoid panic attacks but also ensures award-winning performances, such as her harrowing portrayal of Fantine in Les Misérables.

Hathaway recalled one occasion early in her career when her anxiety got the best of her on set, and she suffered a panic attack. “I had a horrible anxiety attack, and I was by myself and didn’t know what was happening," she said. "I certainly couldn’t tell anybody, and it was compounded by thinking I was keeping set waiting. Now I feel much safer going to someone in charge, pulling them to the side, and explaining, ‘I’m going through this right now.’ Most people will sit there with you for the 10 minutes it takes for you to come back down.”

Another area of her life discussed in the interview was her decision to stop drinking. Hathaway has been sober for five years now and stands firm in this decision. She joins the ranks of other openly sober celebrities, including Lucy Hale, Drew Barrymore, Tom Holland, and Chrissy Teigen. “I knew deep down it wasn’t for me,” she explained. “And it just felt so extreme to have to say, ‘But none?’ But none. If you’re allergic to something or have an anaphylactic reaction to something, you don’t argue with it. So I stopped arguing with it.”

Hathaway confirmed that this doesn't stem from a place of self-righteousness or judgment, but rather learning to choose what's best for her. “It’s a path everybody has to walk for themselves,” she said. “My personal experience with it is that everything is better. For me, it was wallowing fuel. And I don’t like to wallow. The thing that I have faith in is that everybody else is going to have one or two drinks, and by the time everybody gets to two drinks, you’ll feel like you’ve had two drinks—but without the hangover.”

One of the most shocking revelations was that Hathaway was not considered "sexy" enough for Hollywood. Luckily, she knew herself well enough to dismiss these claims. “I was like, ‘I’m a Scorpio. I know what I’m like on a Saturday night,'" the actress joked. “The male gaze was very dominant, very pervasive, and very juvenile.”

This certainty in herself has grown over the years and led Hathaway to her latest role in The Idea of You. Hathaway plays Solène, a 40-year-old single mother who begins dating a 24-year-old musician. The musician, Hayes Campbell (played by Nicholas Galitzine), is part of a world-famous boy band, seemingly inspired by One Direction. The novel that the film is based on has been applauded for its sex positivity and depiction of female pleasure. “I feel ready to be a sexual creature out loud,” Hathaway explained of her decision to take the role.

“It’s not like one healthy, consensual female orgasm (okay, multiple) is going to change the world,” Hathaway joked. “But I’m really happy to be part of a story that takes pleasure in female pleasure.”