title: "The Internet Decided to Hate Her for No Reason—Then Apologized Years Later" description: "Anne Hathaway won an Oscar and the internet decided to hate her. They called themselves Hathahaters. Years later, they apologized. The whole thing was bizarre." date: "2025-11-22" author: "sarah-mitchell" category: "Then & Now" tags: ["anne hathaway", "hathaway backlash", "internet hate", "oscar winner", "redemption"] image: "https://pollinations.ai/p/elegant-actress-oscar-dress-misunderstood-redemption-arc-genuine-smile?width=1200&height=630&nologo=true" featured: false
In 2013, Anne Hathaway won an Oscar for Les Misérables.
The internet hated her for it.
Not for anything she did. They just... decided to hate her.
They called themselves "Hathahaters."
Years later, they apologized.
The whole thing made no sense.
The Hate
What happened around her Oscar:
- She was deemed "annoying"
- Her speech was "too rehearsed"
- She was "trying too hard"
- She was "inauthentic"
- She was "unlikeable"
None of this was based on anything specific.
The Hathahaters
The movement:
- Think pieces about why she was annoying
- Social media pile-ons
- Mocking her expressions
- Analyzing her "performative" behavior
- A genuine cultural moment
People bonded over disliking her.
What She Did Wrong
The supposed offenses:
- Smiled too much
- Seemed too prepared
- Cried during acceptance speech
- Was too polished
- Tried too hard to be liked
These are... not actually bad things.
The Oscar Speech
Her winning moment:
- Sang "I Dreamed a Dream" live
- Shaved her head
- Lost significant weight
- Won Best Supporting Actress
- Tearful acceptance
She did everything right. They hated her anyway.
The Performance
Her Fantine was objectively great:
- One take of the song
- Raw emotional performance
- Physical transformation
- Critical acclaim
- The role was devastating
The work was never the problem.
The Comparison
Why Jennifer Lawrence wasn't hated:
- Also won that year
- Also young, beautiful, successful
- Seemed "relatable" and "chill"
- Fell on Oscar stage
- Internet loved her
Same circumstances. Different treatment.
The Analysis
What people said about Anne:
- "Too perfect"
- "Doesn't seem real"
- "Like she's always acting"
- "Teacher's pet energy"
- "Overachiever"
They punished her for being good at her job.
Her Response
How Anne handled it:
- Initially confused
- Hurt by the vitriol
- Tried to address it in interviews
- Stepped back from public appearances
- Let it fade
She didn't fight back.
What She Said
Anne's comments on the hate:
- "I was genuinely confused"
- "I still don't understand"
- "It hurt"
- "I tried to figure out what I did wrong"
- "I never got an answer"
She looked for a reason. There wasn't one.
The Misogyny Angle
Why this was gendered:
- Men aren't called "try-hards" for being prepared
- Women are punished for ambition
- "Likeable" is required for women
- Being polished is seen as fake
- Men get "dedicated," women get "annoying"
The standards weren't equal.
The Career Impact
What happened to her work:
- Still got roles
- But less visible
- Avoided press
- Took fewer risks
- Seemed diminished
The hate affected her choices.
The Interstellar Period
Her quieter era:
- Interstellar (2014)
- The Intern (2015)
- Solid work
- Less promotion
- Lower profile
She pulled back.
The Apology Era
Around 2018-2019:
- Think pieces apologizing
- "We were wrong about Anne Hathaway"
- "She didn't deserve this"
- Cultural reassessment
- Genuine contrition
The internet admitted it was wrong.
The Reasons for Apology
Why people reconsidered:
- Time passed
- Realized the hate was baseless
- Saw similar patterns with other women
- Gained perspective
- She handled it gracefully
Hindsight created clarity.
Ocean's 8
Her comeback:
- Ocean's 8 (2018)
- Fun, self-aware performance
- Mocked the diva image
- Showed she had humor about it
- Reminded people she was good
She leaned into the joke.
The Recent Work
Current Anne:
- WeCrashed (great)
- Armageddon Time
- The Idea of You (hit)
- Back to being liked
- Working consistently
The redemption is complete.
The Idea of You
Her 2024 hit:
- Romance with younger man
- Self-aware about age
- Major streaming success
- Internet loved her in it
- Full circle
She's likeable again.
What Changed
Why people like her now:
- They feel guilty
- She's older, more relaxed
- Internet culture shifted
- People root for comebacks
- She survived
Nothing about her changed. They did.
The Pattern
Other women this happened to:
- Gwyneth Paltrow
- Taylor Swift (before rehabilitation)
- Meghan Markle
- Brie Larson
- The pattern is consistent
The internet picks women to hate.
The Lesson
The Anne Hathaway saga teaches:
- The internet can decide to hate you
- For no reason
- And then apologize
- Also for no reason
- None of it is personal
She won an Oscar.
They decided to hate her.
Years later, they apologized.
She was the same person the whole time.
They were the ones who changed.
The hate was never about her.
It was about them.
