Celebrity biographies

Anne Hathaway
The daughter of a stage actress and an attorney, Anne Hathaway was born on November 12th, 1982 in Brooklyn, New York. She and her two brothers were raised in New Jersey, where she led a tomboyish childhood and broke many bones.

In high school, though, she fully embraced her love and affinity for singing and acting. She remains the only teen to ever be accepted in the prestigious Barrow Group, an acting workshop in New York. She performed at Carnegie Hall in 1998 with the All Eastern U.S. High School Honors Chorus. Three days later, she was cast in the TV series Get Real, and her career was off and rolling.

Though short-lived, the family comedy-drama Get Real won a legion of committed fans, especially for Hathaway's character "Meghan Green." The young cast was nominated for a Young Star Artist Award (ensemble). Despite the minor successes, though, the show was cancelled after one season. Hathaway simply shrugged and got on with her life, enrolling at Vassar College.

But acting remained an important part of her life. She filmed her first movie, The Other Side of Heaven, in 2000. In it she played "Jean Sabin," the love interest of a conflicted member of the Church of Latter-Day Saints. The role didn't propel her into the spotlight, but it did give her valuable experience in film, which, in turn, probably helped her win her next role.

During her audition for 2001's The Princess Diaries, Anne won the lead role, in part, by accidentally falling off her chair. Since the role demanded a klutsy-yet-charming lead actress, Anne's handling of the mishap convinced director Garry Marshall to hire her on the spot. She filmed in England with legend Julie Andrews and promoted the film all over Europe and North America. The role brought her a lot of mainstream attention and earned her nominations for a Teen Choice Award and an MTV Movie Award.

In 2002, Hathaway took part in a stage production of Carnival put on by the esteemed company City Center Encore! She won the prestigious Clarence Derwent Award for her performance, confirming her stage credibility. Meanwhile, she appeared in a solid film adaptation of Charles Dickens' Nicholas Nickleby.

Her latest film, Ella Enchanted, is slated for a spring 2004 release. Hathaway is currently working toward an English Literature degree from Vassar College, and will reprise her role for a Princess Diaries sequel.