Anne Hathaway began her film
career in 2001 playing an awkward young woman in "The
Princess Diaries" and its sequel. A few years later, the
actress has blossomed into a head-turning knockout. With
the release of "Get Smart," Hathaway ably fills the
high-heeled shoes of Barbara Feldon, one of the sexiest
women on television in the late 1960s.In the new
big-screen version of the spy spoof TV show, Hathaway
plays Agent 99, the poised and professional sidekick to
bumbling secret agent Maxwell Smart, who is played on the
big screen by Steve Carell. Together they work for the spy
agency CONTROL, under the supervision of Alan Arkin as The
Chief.
Hathaway, 25, was something of an acting prodigy
growing up. Raised in the leafy suburbs of Millburn, N.J.,
she was a frequent performer in the well-regarded Paper
Mill Playhouse and became the only teenager admitted into
an exclusive acting program in Manhattan. With the success
of "The Devil Wears Prada" in 2006, Hathaway cemented her
status as a top comedic actress but she has also worked
hard to expand her range. She has appeared in dramas such
as "Brokeback Mountain" and will star next in a
horror-thriller called "Passengers."
Q: Were you familiar with
the original "Get Smart" TV show before you got the part
of Agent 99 in the movie?
A: I actually grew up
watching the show on Nick at Nite and loved it, so it was
really fun to revisit it. I wanted to revisit it because I
was one of the last people cast, so I unfortunately missed
the whole collaboration, "This is the movie we're making,"
part of the process. I wanted to make sure that I
understood what tone we were trying to achieve and I
really think that in the final product, we've managed to
have that silly, sweet yet sophisticated feel that the
original series had.
Q: How were you able to
kick butt in heels so well? And was it fun or annoying
being one of the only girls on the set?
A: Annoying? No, no, no,
I could never be annoyed with all those fine fellas there,
especially Steve Carell. It was such a delight. I feel
like I was so indulged on the set every day by these guys,
being the only girl. It was fun. Some days I felt like
they were trying to be very polite around me and keep the
conversation more prim, and so I would just tell the
dirtiest joke I could think of just to put everybody at
ease. As for the high heels, I had excellent training in
"The Devil Wears Prada" for how to run around wearing
them, so when it came time to just add some high kicks and
jumps, it wasn't that bad. Having a stunt double who did
it much better than me helped, though.
Q: You did several stunts
for this film. Did you always feel safe?
A: I did feel so safe all
the time that the danger really never entered my mind.
When I would describe to my mother what I was doing, she
would have the heart attack for me. I remember being
dropped 50 feet, being strapped to a cable having nothing
but sidewalk below - well, I guess they did have a pad.
But it was on a street in Montreal so you weren't in a
closed set, so you felt a little bit more exposed. I just
remember giggling. I would just kind of laugh and I had to
put my head down because I was laughing so hard, it was
just such a rush. It was just lovely. It was so
exhilarating. So yeah, we just felt so safe the whole time
that it just felt like being at the best amusement park
ever.
Q: Who is a sexier
co-star, Steve Carell or Kate Hudson, your co-star in the
upcoming comedy "Bride Wars"?
A: Alan Arkin.
Q: Are you a fan of "The
Office," Steve Carell's TV show? What was it like to make
out with him?
A: To say that I am a fan
of "The Office" is really putting it mildly. When Steve
and I don't see each other for a few weeks, my first
question is of course, "What's coming up on the show?" I
just love the show so much. I love humor that makes you
feel uncomfortable, and that show is so brilliant at it.
It's so different than the British version, and it's found
its own American voice and I really relate to it.
Actually, when I went to audition for this movie I didn't
think in a million years I was going to get the part. I
really just wanted to meet Steve, and I did and it went
well. Making out with him is like the yummiest lollipop.
Dipped in sunshine. And wrapped in a masculine wrapper.
That's the only way I can think to describe it.
Q: But weren't you sick
on the day that was shot?
A: OK, so you've got to
hear this. Somehow there was a health scare last year. A
certain contact lens solution, I won't say the name of it,
but it was the one that I used, gave you conjunctivitis.
And I had a sinus infection at the same time, so I had to
go up to Steve, my eye is red, puffy and dripping green.
And the worst thing was we didn't know that I had
conjunctivitis at the time. So I had to call our producer
Alex Gartner that night and say, "Yeah, you might want to
call Steve and let him know I had pinkeye and my tears
kind of got in my mouth, so he might want to worry about
that." So it was very glamorous. And I'd do it again in a
heartbeat.
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