Anne Hathaway was raised as a Roman Catholic, but she and her family left the church when she recognised that its teachings were not compatible with her older brother’s coming out as gay. Since then she has described her faith as a “work in progress” and does not identify with a specific denomination.
Quick Profile: Anne Hathaway
| Full Name | Anne Jacqueline Hathaway |
| Date of Birth | November 12, 1982 – New York City, U.S. |
| Childhood Faith | Raised Roman Catholic; considered becoming a nun. |
| Current Faith View | Left Catholicism; family briefly joined Episcopalianism; Anne says she is “nothing” denominational. |
| Parents | Gerald Hathaway (labor attorney) & Kate McCauley Hathaway (former actress) |
| Career | Actor, Oscar winner, producer, strong advocate for equality and human rights. |
| Known For | Actress (films: The Princess Diaries, Les Misérables, The Dark Knight Rises) |
Early Life
Anne Hathaway grew up in a family that valued arts and education. Her mother was a stage actress and her father a lawyer. When Anne was six, the family moved from Brooklyn to Millburn, New Jersey, where she grew up. She has two brothers, Michael (older) and Thomas (younger).
Religiously, she was raised in the Roman Catholic tradition and has said she had “really strong values” from that upbringing. As a child she once even considered becoming a nun, though that ambition faded as she became more focused on acting.
However, when her older brother came out as gay, Anne faced a conflict: she felt she could not support a religion that did not fully accept her brother. She has said her family converted to the Episcopal church after the event, but that neither she nor the family settled there permanently.
Religious Journey
Anne has spoken openly about leaving the Catholic Church. She said:
“The whole family converted to Episcopalianism after my elder brother came out. Why should I support an organisation that has a limited view of my beloved brother?”
In other interviews she’s described her spiritual life as being under construction, saying she hadn’t found a religion that fully fit her. In a piece she also reflected:
“I love religion. I love human’s yearning for something divine and our need to communicate.”
Thus the picture is that Anne is someone who honours her faith-roots but does not follow a rigid religious identity. She values inclusiveness, love, and spiritual connection more than institutional doctrine.
Personal Life
Anne Hathaway keeps much of her private life grounded despite global fame. She married actor-producer Adam Shulman in 2012 in a private ceremony on California’s Big Sur, choosing a non-denominational interfaith format rather than a traditional church setting.
She has spoken about values such as honesty, kindness, and supporting her loved ones—particularly in connection to her brother’s coming-out experience, which influenced her stance on religion and inclusivity. She said: “I disagree with a couple of the stances of the Catholic Church. My older brother is gay … and it’s important for me to be able to love him completely and freely.”
Anne also made the personal choice to give up alcohol around motherhood and career consciously, reporting it improved her life and mental clarity.
Career Highlights
Anne Hathaway became a household name with The Princess Diaries. That 2001 Disney film gave her a starring role at a young age and showed studios she could lead a big movie while winning over family audiences.
She proved she could handle sharp comedy and strong supporting work in The Devil Wears Prada, a mainstream hit that advanced her career and made her a recognizable adult star. The film showed she could hold her own opposite major actors and boosted her profile in Hollywood.
Hathaway took a deliberate turn into serious drama with Rachel Getting Married, an intense, naturalistic performance that earned her an Academy Award nomination and signaled that critics should take her seriously as an actress. That role changed how filmmakers and audiences saw her range.
Her role as Fantine in Les Misérables was a career landmark. She lost weight, cut her hair, and sang live on set, delivering a raw performance that won her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and several other major prizes.
Alongside awards work, Hathaway has joined blockbuster and prestige films—she played Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises and appeared in Interstellar—while also moving into producing and public advocacy. Her career balances commercial hits with challenging roles, and she uses her platform for causes like gender equality as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador.
Interesting Facts About Anne Hathaway
- She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her powerful, live-sung performance as Fantine in Les Misérables.
- Anne served as a UN Women Global Goodwill Ambassador, using her platform to advocate for gender equality and paid parental leave.
- She attended Millburn High School (New Jersey) and studied briefly at Vassar College before pursuing acting full time.
- Her breakout film was The Princess Diaries, which turned her into a teenage star and launched her Hollywood career.
- Anne is active in charity and advocacy: she supports children’s causes, gender-equality initiatives, and organizations that help young people in the arts.
- She sold the rights to one of her wedding photos and donated the proceeds to Freedom to Marry, supporting same-sex marriage advocacy.
