When Anne Hathaway stepped onto the red carpet at the 2025 Met Gala in a custom Carolina Herrera ensemble honoring André Leon Talley, it was hard to believe that 24 years had passed since she first captured hearts as Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries.
💫 Jump to a Look:
- 1. Honoring André Leon Talley: Carolina Herrera at the 2025 Met Gala
- 2. Princess Diaries: Anne Hathaway’s Style Transformation
- 3. Literary Chic: Louboutins at the National Book Awards
- 4. Artistic Prints: Dolce & Gabbana at The Children’s Monologues
- 5. Red Carpet Icons: Anne Hathaway’s Most Memorable Shoe Moments
1. Honoring André Leon Talley: Carolina Herrera at the 2025 Met Gala
Other stars who impressed on the red carpet included Rihanna in a tailored Marc Jacobs suit paired with Amina Muaddi brogue mules, Zoe Saldana in a beaded Thom Browne gown complemented by classic brogues, Demi Moore in a sculptural tie gown with opera pumps, Sabrina Carpenter in a Louis Vuitton tailcoat and burgundy platforms, Teyana Taylor in a Harlem-inspired zoot suit with Kiki boots, Jodie Turner-Smith in a Victorian Burberry look featuring fringe boots, and Doechii in a monogram short suit styled with LV Mary Janes. See all the standout 2025 Met Gala looks here.
Anne Hathaway honors André Leon Talley at the 2025 Met Gala in a custom Carolina Herrera look featuring a crisp white shirt, striped crystal-embellished column skirt, and black point-toe mules, styled with a bold Bulgari sapphire and diamond necklace (Credit: Matt Crossick / PA Images / INSTARimages)
In the beloved 2001 coming-of-age comedy, Hathaway played a shy San Francisco teenager who discovers she’s heir to the throne of Genovia, a fictional European kingdom.
Dame Julie Andrews starred alongside her, bringing regal grace to the role of Queen Clarisse Renaldi, Mia’s royal grandmother and mentor.
Promotional still from The Princess Diaries featuring Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in an elegant cream ensemble and Anne Hathaway as Mia Thermopolis in a casual striped top and leather jacket, capturing their characters’ contrasting worlds (Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)
While we’d love to believe otherwise, the film is not inspired by a true story. It is based on Meg Cabot’s 2000 young adult novel of the same name, which you can buy on Amazon.
Casting What-Ifs: The Stars Who Almost Played Mia Thermopolis
After Juliette Lewis declined the role of shy American teenager Mia Thermopolis, who learns she is heir to the throne of a European kingdom, the studio considered Liv Tyler, Kirsten Dunst, Alicia Silverstone, Jessica Biel, Kate Hudson, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Brittany Murphy, Katie Holmes, Christina Applegate, Kate Beckinsale, Eva Mendes, and Claire Danes for the part.
Anne Hathaway, just 17 years old at the time, stars as Mia Thermopolis in The Princess Diaries, seen here in a schoolgirl plaid skirt and blazer alongside Hector Elizondo as Joe and Julie Andrews as Queen Clarisse Renaldi in a pivotal makeover scene (Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)
A Memorable Mishap: How Anne Hathaway Won the Role with One Fall
Auditioning for the role during a 26-hour layover in Los Angeles, California, while traveling to New Zealand to film the 2001 American adventure drama film The Other Side of Heaven, the then-17-year-old Anne got the role after falling off her chair.
“At some point during the audition,” Hathaway said about director Garry Marshall in an interview with Vogue, “I got really nervous and fell out of my chair, and I think that’s what he was most impressed with.”
Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews, and Hector Elizondo share a lighthearted moment in The Princess Diaries, as their characters engage in royal etiquette lessons inside the lavish Genovian palace (Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)
Behind the Scenes: Filming The Princess Diaries and Its Box Office Triumph
Filmed on a budget of $26 million, the principal photography for The Princess Diaries took place at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, between September 18 and December 8, 2000. Born on November 12, 1982, in Brooklyn, New York, Anne turned 18 while filming the movie on November 12, 2000.
Born on October 1, 1935, in Walton-on-Thames, United Kingdom, Julie Andrews was 65 years old when filming The Princess Diaries.
Anne Hathaway, just 18, radiates youthful poise in her breakout role as Mia Thermopolis, standing regally beside Julie Andrews’ graceful Queen Clarisse Renaldi, 65, in this unforgettable ballroom scene from The Princess Diaries (Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)
Released on August 3, 2001, The Princess Diaries was a major box-office success, grossing over $165 million worldwide.
Its popularity led to a 2004 sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, for which Anne Hathaway had to turn down the coveted role of Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera to reprise her role as Mia Thermopolis.
2. Princess Diaries: Anne Hathaway’s Style Transformation
In the first movie, she wore false eyebrows and a wig nicknamed “The Beast” to make her character’s makeover more dramatic.
A fresh-faced Anne Hathaway, just 18 years old, radiates youthful charm on the red carpet at the world premiere of The Princess Diaries in Los Angeles, July 2001 (Credit: Dennis Van Tine / Future Image / Joseph Marzullo / WENN / Jody Cortes)
In the sequel, her hair is real. “Well, I didn’t wear a wig in it and no fake eyebrows, so that is pretty nice. It’s Mia as a woman,” Anne said about her hair in the sequel, in an interview with LiveAbout in January 2018.
“I mean, if ‘Princess Diaries’ was about Mia becoming a young woman, transitioning from young girl to young woman, ‘Princess Diaries II’ is about her going from young woman to full-on, actualized, realized woman,” she added.
18-year-old Anne Hathaway exudes early 2000s elegance in a strapless mauve satin dress and white open-toe heels at the world premiere of The Princess Diaries on July 29, 2001, in Los Angeles (Credit: Dennis Van Tine / Future Image / Joseph Marzullo / WENN / Jody Cortes)
Hathaway tripped in the bleacher scene with Heather Matarazzo as Lilly Moscovitz. Garry Marshall thought it was amusing, so he kept it in the final movie.
An unplanned moment captured during the bleacher scene in “The Princess Diaries,” featuring Anne Hathaway’s accidental fall (Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution)
“I turned really fast, slipped on a puddle, and just I mean fell. I mean just absolutely fell, and burst out laughing, and kept going with the scene. Never thought about it again,” she said in an interview for The Happy Days of Gary Marshall.
“All of a sudden, like six months later it’s in the trailer … He kept it because it was a charming moment.”
21-year-old Anne Hathaway attends the Disney premiere of The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement at Disneyland Resort on August 7, 2004, wearing a shimmering silver dress cinched with a black satin belt and layered with crystal bead necklaces (Credit: Dennis Van Tine / Future Image / Joseph Marzullo / WENN / Jody Cortes)
3. Literary Chic: Louboutins at the National Book Awards
In November 2017, we spotted Anne supporting two great causes — the National Book Awards and a benefit for The Children’s Monologues — wearing her new favorite Louboutins.
We know many Christian Louboutin loyalists in Hollywood (we’re looking at you, Blake Lively). Still, Anne Hathaway isn’t precisely the first girl to come to mind when we think of the shoe designer.
Anne Hathaway at the National Book Awards held at Cipriani Wall Street in New York on November 15, 2017 (Credit: Dennis Van Tine / Future Image / Joseph Marzullo / WENN / Jody Cortes)
However, in 2017, Anne ditched her beloved Gianvito Rossi and Alaïa shoes in favor of those infamous red soles.
Anne Hathaway exudes effortless elegance in a tuxedo-inspired Halston Heritage satin shirt dress layered over tailored pants, styled with bold tassel earrings and red-soled Christian Louboutin heels at the National Book Awards
The actress arrived at the National Book Awards in a classy tuxedo-inspired Halston Heritage satin shirt dress. Anne’s stylist, Penny Lovell, took the outfit a step further by adding a pair of tailored pants.
Anne holds on to a rectangular clutch by Edie Parker
A pair of gold tassel earrings dangled from Anne’s ears to liven up the ensemble. James Banks Design rings added a little sparkle to the outfit.
The actress livened up her look with a pair of pale yellow tassel earrings
A pair of Christian Louboutin “Marchavekel” knotted sandals in Rosso completed the look. Their pin-thin heels subtly elongated Anne Hathaway’s 5ft 7in (170.2 cm) frame and added a statuesque finish to her ensemble.
4. Artistic Prints: Dolce & Gabbana at The Children’s Monologues
The day before, Anne stuck to her classic look with a midi-printed dress from Dolce & Gabbana’s Spring 2018 collection. Upon closer look, detailed drawings of heart jewelry covered the dress.
Anne at The Children’s Monologues, a benefit for African-based creative arts charity Dramatic Need, held at Carnegie Hall in New York on November 14, 2017 (Credit: Dennis Van Tine / Future Image / Joseph Marzullo / WENN / Jody Cortes)
Anne showed how casually and sophisticated it can be done with a pair of pointy-toe Christian Louboutin “Uptown” pumps in black leather.
Anne dons a casual, sophisticated look with a pair of Christian Louboutin “Uptown” pumps
Anne opted for a tousled, just-out-of-bed hairstyle—a bold contrast to her polished ensemble. One can only imagine what Miranda Priestly would say about such an effortless look.
Anne Hathaway brings playful sophistication to Carnegie Hall in a heart-printed Dolce & Gabbana midi dress paired with classic black Christian Louboutin “Uptown” pumps
We love how Anne styled her Louboutins—a brand with a long-standing reputation for marketing with sex appeal—into a classic look.
While we would have loved to see more of her “Marchavekel” from underneath her pant hem, the “Uptown” heels were given the justice they deserved.
5. Red Carpet Icons: Anne Hathaway’s Most Memorable Shoe Moments
From red carpet premieres to fashion-forward events, Anne Hathaway consistently showcases her impeccable style. Here are some of her most memorable looks:
Anne Hathaway’s Oscar-Winning Role in Les Misérables
- Event: 85th Academy Awards
- Outfit: A pale pink Prada gown that became one of the most talked-about dresses of the night.
- Footwear: Strappy black Giuseppe Zanotti heels that complemented her elegant ensemble.
- Read more: Anne Hathaway’s Les Misérables Transformation
Monochromatic Mastery During ‘The Idea of You’ Press Tour
- Event: Press events for ‘The Idea of You’
- Outfit: A series of monochromatic ensembles, including a vibrant red Versace gown and a crisp all-white ensemble.
- Footwear: Coordinated heels that enhanced each monochromatic look.
- See more: Anne Hathaway’s Monochromatic Looks for ‘The Idea of You’
Stunning in Christian Louboutin at ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ Premiere
- Event: ‘Alice Through the Looking Glass’ Premiere
- Outfit: A custom Christopher Kane dress adorned with daring floral appliqués.
- Footwear: Christian Louboutin x Jonathan Saunders heels featuring sleek black suede and modern PVC detailing.
- Discover more: Anne Hathaway’s Mesmerizing Christian Louboutin Heels at ‘Alice’ Premiere
Tribute to ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ at the 2024 SAG Awards
- Event: 2024 SAG Awards
- Outfit: A cerulean blue Versace gown, nodding to her iconic film role.
- Footwear: Gianvito Rossi “Lucrezia” sandals in metallic leather.
- See her look: Anne Hathaway’s Cerulean Versace Gown at SAG Awards 2024
Vintage Valentino at the 2023 British Fashion Awards
- Event: 2023 British Fashion Awards
- Outfit: A vintage Valentino Haute Couture Spring/Summer 1993 gown.
- Footwear: Elegant heels complementing the timeless ensemble.
- Explore her style: Anne Hathaway Dazzles in Vintage Valentino Couture
These moments highlight Anne Hathaway’s versatility and elegance, solidifying her status as a fashion icon.