Anne Hathaway recalls 'gross' audition where she was told to kiss 10 men: "I pretended I was..."
Warning: Graphic content, readers’ discretion advised
The glamorous world of movies and shining stars hides dark and often controversial secrets beneath its surface, making Hollywood little more than an epicenter of unethical practices. For newcomers, the industry’s darker side can feel overwhelming, making survival extremely difficult. One such shocking experience is shared by Academy Award winner Anne Hathaway. The actress, best known for her standout performance in 'The Princess Diaries', opened up about her own encounter with ‘gross’ Hollywood practices.
In a recent conversation with V Magazine, Hathaway reflected on the evolution of casting practices, countering her experiences then and now. While promoting her rom-com 'The Idea of You', Hathaway compared the present casting approach to the old one. She described a memorable audition where she and Nicholas Galitzine improvised a dance, leading to a joyful moment. “We were just in a space dancing. I looked over and Michael Showalter, our director, was beaming. Spark!” she said.
However, Hathaway also shared her experience from decades ago, highlighting how uncomfortable and invasive casting practices used to be. “Back in the 2000s, and this did happen to me, it was considered normal to ask an actor to make out with others to test for chemistry,” she revealed. She continued, “I was told, ‘We have ten guys coming today, and you’re cast. Aren’t you excited to make out with all of them?’ And I thought, ‘Is there something wrong with me?’ because I wasn’t excited. I thought it sounded gross. And I was so young and aware of how easy it was to ruin everything by being labeled ‘difficult,’ so I just pretended I was excited and got on with it.”
Yikes! The more you learn about Hollywood, the more you want to run away. Hathaway, who is also a producer, emphasized that finding genuine chemistry doesn’t require actors to engage in such uncomfortable practices. “Finding a spark didn’t require me to make out with a bunch of twenty-somethings.” Unfortunately, Hathaway isn’t the only one who has experienced these frigid casting methods. Several other actresses have come forward with similar accounts, where under the guise of casting, sexual favors were demanded in exchange for acting opportunities. Actress Julianna Margulies, known for her role in 'The Good Wife', also recalled an alleged harrowing experience with actor Steven Seagal.
In an interview on Sirius XM’s 'Just Jenny', Margulies shared how she narrowly avoided a dangerous situation at the age of 23. A female casting director encouraged her to meet Seagal in his hotel room late at night to discuss a scene. “I got to the hotel around 10:40, and she [the casting director] wasn’t there. And he was alone, and he made sure that I saw his gun, which I had never seen a gun in real life,” Margulies said. She managed to escape unharmed, adding, “I got out of there unscathed. I never was raped, and I never was harmed. I don’t know how I got out of that hotel room.” Margulies also revealed feeling “set up” by the casting director and emphasized the importance of never attending private meetings alone again after that ordeal.
