by Zack Mandell

Created on: January 15, 2013   Last Updated: January 17, 2013

As a little girl, Anne Hathaway had many ambitions. Born in Brooklyn in 1982, Hathaway grew up in a close-knit Roman Catholic family. Her family moved to New Jersey when she was young. Because of her devout religion, Hathaway dreamed of one day becoming a nun. That was not her only ambition, however. Hathaway's mother, Kate, was a talented actress, appearing onstage in "Les Misérables" during the first U.S. tour of the renowned musical. As she watched her mother transform into the role of Fantine, a stage-struck Hathaway added "actress" to her list of future career possibilities.

As a teenager, Hathaway excelled at school and worked hard to further her many talents. She appeared in numerous school productions at Millburn High School, earning local attention. When she was fifteen years old, Hathaway learned that her older brother was gay. Since she knew that her religion would not accept her brother, this led Hathaway to rethink her religious views. After graduating high school, Hathaway worked with The Barrow Group as the youngest person ever admitted into their prestigious program. Despite these successes, Hathaway was finding it difficult to break into screen work. The influx of rejections occasionally discouraged Hathaway. With the support of her parents, however, the young actress continued honing her craft and hoping for a big break.

In addition to her stage work, Hathaway's beautiful soprano singing voice also kept her busy. In 1999, she had the chance to perform at the iconic Carnegie Hall, as part of the All-Eastern US High School Honors Chorus. Soon after this success, Hathaway received even more exciting news. She had landed a role on "Get Real," a comedic TV series on FOX. The show did not last long, but in her short time on the air, Hathaway managed to grab attention. She was thrilled to receive a Teen Choice Awards nomination.

Her brief appearance in "Get Real" also helped open the door for Hathaway's big break. She auditioned for a coveted role in "The Princess Diaries" (2001). Hathaway's natural charisma and talent won her the role of awkward young Mia, despite heavy competition from other young hopefuls. That same year, Hathaway had the chance to appear in "The Other Side of Heaven" (2001). "The Other Side of Heaven," a drama about a Mormon missionary, did not make much of a commercial or critical impact. "The Princess Diaries," on the other hand, was an enormous success. Even appearing opposite Hollywood heavyweight Julie Andrews, Hathaway

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>