Anne Hathaway names her go-to comfort movie: “Makes me so happy”
Success as a youngster in Hollywood does not always translate to success as an adult, but Anne Hathaway was lucky enough to have the chops to pull this transformation off.
After establishing herself as a teen idol, she quickly pivoted into more serious and mature roles, beginning with her heartbreaking turn in Brokeback Mountain, and has since continued to define her career, winning an Oscar (and just about every other major award going) along the way for plenty of memorable performances.
Alongside her dramatic pursuits, Hathaway has also been in her fair share of comedies, hitter her funny bone stride with the two Princess Diaries movies, which established a working relationship with legendary director Garry Marshall. The pair would reunite many years later for Valentine’s Day, although she probably should have given that one a pass, after which she earned a place in many people’s hearts with her performance in The Devil Wears Prada, which is set for a sequel in May 2026, courting very high-heeled expectations.
When asked by Vogue about her choice of comfort film, she revealed a penchant for one actor in particular, Will Ferrell, especially his 2007 movie Blades of Glory, which she knows so well that she even has a favourite part.
“The part at the end when they’re chasing each other but they’re wearing skates, but on dry land, it’s like, the physical comedy makes me so happy,” she gushed, “Also like any Will Ferrell movie. Period. But also that era Will Ferrell, Adam McKay. Yes, Forever.”
Directed by Will Speck and Josh Gordon, Blades of Glory stars Ferrell and Jon Heder as two figure skaters who discover a way back into the sport after being banned by forming an unlikely partnership, but must overcome their dislike of each other to win big, which predictably leads to a range of hijinks. Hathaway isn’t the only fan, as the film was a hit both commercially and critically, one of many Ferrell had from around this period. This was arguably a golden age of big-screen comedy in the early 2000s, and to think it wouldn’t have happened had it not been for a bizarre premonition from Ferrell’s wife.
While Hathaway has moved between drama and comedy throughout her career, Ferrell has mostly stayed in his lane, where even his more serious films, such as Everything Must Go or Stranger Than Fiction, have funny elements.
As for Adam McKay, he’s taken a different approach, eventually moving into more serious territory with the likes of The Big Short, Vice, and Don’t Look Up, and even though they don’t play things entirely straight, they are a lot more dramatic than his previous work. Much like Hathaway, he has proven himself to be incredibly versatile.
This might sound like I’m having a dig at Ferrell, but when you’re as funny as he is, you don’t need to do anything else. He’s contributed so many fantastic comedies to our canon that he should get a free pass for just about anything, something with which Hathaway would certainly agree.
