In an emotionally charged revelation, Anne Hathaway shared a deeply personal struggle she faced on her journey to motherhood. The acclaimed actress, known for her versatility and depth on screen, experienced a miscarriage in 2015. This period of her life coincided with her role in a play where she portrayed a character giving birth every night, adding a poignant layer to her off-stage reality.
During an interview with Vanity Fair, Hathaway opened up about the heart-wrenching experience. “The first attempt at starting a family didn’t go as planned. I was immersed in a play at the time, a role that required me to enact childbirth on stage nightly,” she disclosed. This challenging phase occurred while she was performing in the off-Broadway one-woman show “Grounded,” which ran for six weeks.
Hathaway candidly discussed the emotional toll of her miscarriage, especially in the context of her professional commitments. She felt compelled to be honest with her friends who came to see her perform, admitting, “It was overwhelming to maintain a facade of normalcy on stage when my reality was far from it.”
Reflecting on her subsequent successful pregnancy, Hathaway expressed a desire to support and acknowledge the struggles of others. “Having experienced the pain of loss myself, I understand the complexity of emotions involved. It’s not always easy to rejoice for others when you’re in pain, and I want my peers to know it’s okay to feel that way,” she shared, visibly moved.
Hathaway, now a mother of two and married to Adam Shulman, noted how motherhood has softened her. In 2019, while announcing her second pregnancy, she took to Instagram to share her journey, emphasizing the challenges she faced. “It wasn’t a straightforward path to either of my pregnancies,” she wrote, extending her support to those facing infertility and conception difficulties.
The “Les Misérables” star also touched upon the importance of authenticity in sharing her story. Aware of the pain associated with fertility struggles, Hathaway chose to present a nuanced narrative, acknowledging the complexity of the journey to motherhood.
Highlighting the commonality of miscarriage, Hathaway was surprised to learn many of her friends had similar experiences. She stressed the unnecessary isolation that often accompanies such losses, advocating for openness and shared healing. “The moment I decided to speak out, I realized the power of shared experiences. The conversations that followed, where women approached me, often in tears, made me realize we were all carrying this pain. Sharing it somehow made it less burdensome,” Hathaway reflected.
According to the Mayo Clinic, miscarriages occur in 10% to 20% of known pregnancies, suggesting the actual number might be even higher. Hathaway’s decision to talk about her experience sheds light on a topic often shrouded in silence, offering hope and solidarity to those who have endured similar losses.