Anne Hathaway Wants Everyone to Stop Calling Her ‘Anne’, Here’s Why
Anne Hathaway, the acclaimed actress known for standout roles in The Devil Wears Prada, Les Misérables, and Interstellar, is asking fans and the industry alike to drop the name “Anne.” While it may be the name that appears in movie credits and headlines, Hathaway says it simply doesn’t feel like her—and she’s ready to set the record straight.
Despite a career that’s earned her an Oscar and helped generate billions at the box office, Hathaway has never truly felt connected to her birth name. In fact, she recently revealed that no one in her personal life even uses it.
“Call me anything but Anne,” she says, pointing out that she’s gone by the nickname “Annie” for as long as she can remember. During a candid appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she explained that the only person who still uses her full name is her mom—and only when she’s in trouble. “So when someone calls me Anne, I think they’re going to yell at me,” she joked.
Her journey with the name began at age 14, when she joined the Screen Actors Guild and was asked what name she wanted on her card. Thinking nothing of it at the time, she used her legal name, not realizing it would become the public label for the rest of her life.
Now, Hathaway—known on set as “Miss H” or “Hath”—is embracing the identity that feels more authentic. “I’m an Annie,” she says, and she hopes the world can start seeing her that way too.
The Rise of Anne Hathaway
Anne Hathaway may be a name known around the world, but the actress herself wishes it wasn’t—at least not the “Anne” part.
The Oscar winner, best known for roles in The Devil Wears Prada, Les Misérables, and Interstellar, has opened up about feeling disconnected from her given name. “Call me anything but Anne,” she recently told The Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon, explaining that the only time she hears it is when her mother is upset with her. “So when someone calls me Anne, I think they’re going to yell at me,” she laughed.
From First Audition to Fairytale Beginning
Hathaway’s rise to stardom began with The Princess Diaries (2001), where she starred as the lovable Mia Thermopolis. Remarkably, it was her first-ever audition—and an unforgettable one. “I got really nervous and fell out of my chair, and I think that’s what impressed the director,” she told Vogue. That moment, she says, marked the start of her real-life “fairy tale.”
“I give thanks to the universe, a big open-hearted thank you, because that was the day that dreams came true for me,” she recalled.
But Hathaway didn’t let the success of The Princess Diaries typecast her. Determined to grow as an actress, she took on more serious and mature roles, including her breakthrough performances in Brokeback Mountain and The Devil Wears Prada. Over the years, she’s proven her range—from musicals to thrillers—and remains one of Hollywood’s most sought-after talents.
Most recently, she’s starred in The Idea of You, a romantic drama that generated major buzz, and Mothers’ Instinct (2024), a psychological thriller that further cements her dramatic prowess.
Behind all the acclaim, though, Hathaway has always felt more like “Annie”—the name her friends, family, and colleagues use. When she joined the Screen Actors Guild at 14, she listed her full name on the official paperwork, never imagining it would become her public identity for decades.
On film sets, she’s often called “Miss H” or “Hath,” nicknames that feel far more natural to her. And now, she’s asking the world to do the same.
Anne Hathaway may be one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood, but the actress herself says it’s time to let go of the “Anne.” Despite the fame, accolades, and household recognition that come with her name, Hathaway admits it’s never truly felt like hers—and she’s finally speaking up about it.
Like many actors, Hathaway faced a pivotal decision at a young age. When she joined the Screen Actors Guild at 14, she was asked to choose a professional name. Thinking it was no big deal, she put down her legal name: Anne Hathaway. What she didn’t realize at the time was that this name would follow her throughout her entire career.
“I never thought that everyone would call me Anne for the rest of my life,” she said during a candid conversation on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “Call me Annie! Everybody, everybody, call me Annie, please!”
The Name That Never Fit
While “Anne Hathaway” may appear in lights, it’s not what her friends, family, or colleagues call her. “The only person who calls me Anne is my mom,” she joked, “and she only does it when she’s really mad at me.”
The actress went on to explain that when she hears “Anne” in public, her first instinct is to brace for a scolding. “So when someone calls me Anne, I think they’re going to yell at me,” she laughed.
On set, Hathaway is used to being addressed more casually—usually as “Miss H” or “Hath.” These nicknames, she says, feel far more natural than the polished, formal “Anne.”
A Simple, Human Request
Despite her global celebrity status, Hathaway’s request is refreshingly down-to-earth: she just wants to be called by a name that feels true to her. “I’m an Annie,” she says. “So feel free to call me anything but Anne.”
While it might take time for fans and media to adjust, Hathaway’s openness about her name is a reminder that even Hollywood icons want to feel seen for who they really are—not just the persona on the screen.
