Anne Hathaway is one of the most celebrated actresses of the era. She’s earned two Oscar nominations and three Golden Globe nominations, winning one of each thanks to her role in the 2012 adaptation of Les Misérables. On top of that, she’s starred in numerous other lauded films and blockbuster hits.
Hathaway began her Hollywood career in 2000 on the short-lived teen drama Get Real (starring alongside a young Jesse Eisenberg), but she really shot to fame thanks to the 2001 Disney comedy The Princess Diaries. Since then, she’s been an unstoppable force in the entertainment industry, with tons of huge projects on the horizon, including a sequel to The Devil Wears Prada! Before then, here’s the 10 best Anne Hathaway movies you should check out and where to find them on Disney+, HBO Max, and more.
The Princess Diaries (2001)
Based on the YA novel of the same name and directed by the legendary Garry Marshall, The Princess Diaries follows Mia, a young nerdy girl who discovers she’s actually the princess of a small European nation called Genovia. The movie is filled with great humor, a coming-of-age story, and is all about proving the bullies wrong. (Also, in this movie, the bully is played by Mandy Moore!)
If you want a movie loaded with heart, humor, and a good dose of that aughties Disney magic (think movies like A Cinderella Story [2004] and Monte Carlo [2011]), then The Princess Diaries is the film for you. Plus, it’s tons of fun to watch Hathaway go from drab to fab.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Brokeback Mountain was a landmark film that remains memorable after all these years. It was the first major movie to be released in theaters featuring two gay main characters. In the film, Hathaway plays Lureen, the wife of Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal), who she quietly realizes is secretly in love with his “fishing buddy” Ennis (Heath Ledger).
Not only was the movie a heartbreaking and gripping story of what life was like for rural gay men in the '60s and ‘70s, but it also gave Hathaway a chance to take on a more dramatic role that really separated her from her Disney image. In total, Brokeback Mountain earned eight Oscar nominations, and Ang Lee even won for Best Director. If you love gripping queer dramas like Boy Erased (2019) or Queer (2024), this film should be on your radar.
The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
Adapted from the novel of the same name by Lauren Weisberger, and allegedly based on Vogue’s Anna Wintour, The Devil Wears Prada sees a young woman (Hathaway) get a job at the elite fashion magazine Runway. Her boss is the domineering, soulless Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep), who is both fascinating and horrifying.
The movie strikes this perfect balance between drama and comedy, and it truly builds a story that feels deep and authentic (likely because it’s inspired by Weisberger’s actual career at Vogue). It’s one of those rare Oscar-worthy films that’s also mainstream and upbeat enough for even casual audiences to seriously love. If you enjoy powerful novel adaptations like Crazy Rich Asians (2018), or movies that dive into the fashion world, like House of Gucci (2021), be sure to check out The Devil Wears Prada.
Get Smart (2008)
Based on the 1965 TV series of the same name, Get Smart is a spoof of James Bond and the spy genre as a whole. It combines witty parodies with slapstick Mr. Magoo-type humor to create a seriously funny film. Steve Carell stars as Maxwell Smart, and Hathaway plays his partner, the straight-laced Agent 99. Hathaway does a great job at playing the “straight man” to Carell’s bumbling fool, creating lots of big laughs for the movie.
If you love great parodies like Airplane! (1980) and The Naked Gun (2025) or were a fan of the original TV series, then Get Smart will be a lot of fun.
Rachel Getting Married (2008)
Hathaway earned her first Oscar nomination in 2008 for Rachel Getting Married. In the film, Hathaway plays a struggling addict named Kym who leaves rehab to attend her sister’s wedding. But as the movie goes on, it becomes clear that Kym has been nothing but destructive and has created a deep rift between her and her family.
Hathaway is stunning in the film, portraying a self-destructive addict with sincerity and heart, elevating the performance beyond just melodrama. If you want a moving and realistic story about addiction, similar to Ben is Back (2018) or Beautiful Boy (2018), this is a must-watch.
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
In 2010, Tim Burton released his remake of Alice in Wonderland. Stacked with an all-star cast, including Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen, the movie grossed over $1 billion at the box office. Hathaway starred as the White Queen, who is actually a character from Through the Looking-Glass and wasn’t featured in Disney’s original 1951 film.
Hathaway is phenomenal at portraying the character, who looks graceful… but has a disturbing dark side that can come out at a whim. The White Queen also serves as a fantastic contrast to Carter’s Red Queen, leading to some spectacular scenes between the two. If you love modern reboots, like Burton’s other blockbuster, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), or 2013’s Oz, the Great and Powerful, this is the film for you.
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
The Dark Knight Rises was the third and final film in the Dark Knight trilogy. In the movie, Hathaway takes on the iconic role of Catwoman, who is originally a thief before joining Batman to fight Bane and his criminal organization. Hathaway does a fantastic job of portraying the iconic anti-hero, and offers the Dark Knight franchise a bit of a Robin-sidekick vibe, which it was lacking previously.
If you loved the other Dark Knight movies, or gritty takes on the superhero genre, like Joker (2019), then you absolutely should watch The Dark Knight Rises.
Les Misérables (2012)
Les Misérables is all about the French Revolution and the lives that were ruined in the quest for freedom. It’s also the film that earned Hathaway her Oscar and Golden Globe, and for good reason. Starring as Fantine, Hathaway has one of the most emotionally-charged roles in the movie, portraying a young mother forced to turn to prostitution to feed her child. She also gets one of the musical’s best songs, “I Dreamed a Dream.”
But be warned, Les Mis is tragic. Like… really, really tragic. It has great music, but it’s the kind of movie that absolutely becomes gut-wrenchingly sad. If you want a powerhouse movie that will make you cry, this is it. Think like Barbara Hershey’s death in Beaches (1988) level of sad… for three hours.
Interstellar (2014)
In the super trippy, but surprisingly scientifically-backed film Interstellar, Hathaway plays Amelia Brand, an astronaut who takes part in a risky mission through a wormhole. Earth is dying due to climate change and blight, so humanity sets out to find other potentially habitable worlds. Despite being a supporting character to Matthew McConaughey, Hathaway brings her A-game and is joined by a large ensemble cast, including Jessica Chastain, Topher Grace, Michael Caine, and Matt Damon, among others.
The film blends a great story with lots of action, and a surprising amount of emotion (seriously, for a sci-fi movie, this one’s gonna give you all the feels, so be prepared.) It’s kinda like if someone mixed Inception (2010) with Gravity (2013).
The Idea of You (2024)
In The Idea of You, Hathaway plays a 40-year-old mom who ends up falling in love with a 24-year-old pop star (played by the always-hunky Nicholas Galitzine). The movie is fun, flirty, and offers a unique twist to the rom-com genre. We so often see older men with younger women as “normal,” but an older woman being with a younger man is still, for some reason, considered taboo.
The Idea of You plays with those notions and creates a fun and interesting rom-com perfect for anyone who enjoys a fun love story similar to A Family Affair (2024) or Anyone But You (2023). Hathaway also does an especially good job in the movie, making her character feel real and somewhat conflicted, but ultimately ready for adventure.
