Anne Hathaway. “Being 40 made me realize that life is not a dress rehearsal”

It’s a story that has all the trappings of a traditional rom-com: woman, man, chance meeting (the epitome of that famous “meet-cute” genre, a first glance exchanged in an unlikely situation), followed by consuming passion, a quick breakdown; Except that inside The idea of ​​being with you (1), by Michael Showalter, the lover is 40 and he is 24. That’s when, while accompanying his teenage daughter to the Coachella festival, he meets her, taking her as a simple fan when she’s an international pop star. And that their relationship falls prey to tabloids, social media and their cruelty.

To interpret the heroine of a film that, behind her lightness, plays with the questions of our time (should we absolutely have an opinion about 40-year-old women and celebrity love), Anne Hathaway puts her all into action; comedic flair enhanced by a hint of seriousness. Making his duet with young Brit Nicholas Galitsyn irresistibly endearing. Meeting.

Madame Figaro: What attracted you to the script? The idea of ​​being with you.

Anne Hathaway. Many have fallen in love in their 20s and seen their relationship end. This is the case with my character, Solenn, and I loved exploring what happens when you keep loving, shining when you’re told the opposite will happen. In my opinion, The idea of ​​being with you engages in self-pleasure regardless of the views of others.

The author of the novel from which the film was adapted, Robin Lee, said of the sex scenes that the characters had to be stripped down both physically and emotionally. How did you approach this aspect on set?

To use a word that young people use, there was a very good “vibe” on the set. We also had an affinity coordinator who helped us a lot. But above all, we were very open with each other, free to express our feelings. I was especially happy to work with Michael Showalter on the lighting for these scenes. We tried to create a real intimacy with the viewer, to make him feel the love that the characters feel when they exchange a kiss. Using intimate language, we wanted to convey thoughts.

When your character turns 40, someone tells them it’s a huge event. Is this how you felt when you celebrated yours in November 2022?

The crazy thing is, we shot this scene the day after my 40th birthday. I understand that this is seen as a “node” even though my character, Solenn, isn’t really, and neither am I. But I like having a past to draw on and a future I can’t wait to discover.

You play a woman who is in control of her life and sees it turned upside down when it is exposed in the media. How did that resonate with you?

For some time I have come to the conclusion that it is a shame to die famous, but not “real”. So I place a lot of value on my “real” life outside of the screen. I care about it and I know how to value it. Everything else applies only to others. And going back to my forties, I think it made me realize that life is not a dress rehearsal; when we are young, we see it as a journey in which we will “find” ourselves. But at 40, we realize it’s happening now. I want to use it more.

(1) The idea of ​​being with youby Michael Showalter, available May 2 on Amazon Prime.